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Effect of Presowing Treatments on Albizia Procera (roxb). Benth Seeds and Initial Development of Seedlings in the Nursery

Mohammed Alamgir
Bangladesh Forest School, Chittagong.

M. Kamal Hossain
Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, University of Chittagong, Chittagong-4331, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Albizia procera (Roxb.) Benth seeds were treated with five pre-sowing treatments to study their effects on germination and initial seedling growth in the nursery. Results revealed that seeds treated with boiled water for 30 seconds followed by 24 hours cold water immersion (T₂) provided the highest (78%) seed germination. The second highest germination (77%) was obtained for the seeds treated with boiled water for 1 minute followed by 24 hours cold water immersion (T₃). The lowest germination (33%) was obtained for the control (To). Other germination parameters, initial growth and biomass production of the seedlings were also higher for the treatments T₂ and T₃ in comparison to the control (T₀). Pre-sowing treatments of T₂ (soaking in boiled water for 30 seconds followed by 24 hour in cold water) and T₃ (1 minute soaking in boiled water followed by 24 hours in cold water) may be recommended for maximum germination and initial vigorous seedling growth of Albizia procera in the nursery.

Keywords: Germination, Presowing treatments, Sada koroi, Seedling biomass, Seedling growth

Location: Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, University of Chittagong,

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Development of Host and Medicinal Plants

Non-commodity: Tree

Objectives:

To determine the optimum pretreatment methods that maximize germination percentage and initial seedling development in the nursery.

Methodology:

The experiment was established in the nursery of the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, University of Chittagong, Chittagong, Bangladesh. The seeds were sown and grown in the soils collected from the forest areas of the Campus. The soil was sieved well (<3mm) and mixed with decomposed cowdung in a ratio of 3:1 and filled in the polybag of size10cm x 15cm. All treated seeds of A. procera were sown in the filled polybag and arranged in the nursery. Seeds of uniform size were selected from the lot to reduced non treatment variation. A randomized complete block design with three replicates was adopted for the experiment. A total of three hundred uniform seeds were subjected to five different pre-sowing treatments. Five presowing treatments used in the experiment are as follows:

T₀: Control (seeds provided no treatment)

T ₁: Seeds immersed in cold water for 24 hours

T ₂: Seeds immersed in boiled water for 30 seconds, followed by cold water soaking for 24 hours

T₃: Seeds immersed in boiled water for 1 minute, followed by cold water soaking for 24 hours

T₄: Nail clipping in one side of the seed (at the distal end of the seed)

The effects of pre-sowing treatments were assessed periodically through germination and initial growth performance of the seedlings in the nursery. The germination was recorded everyday from the date of sowing and continued till being the last germination (45 days after seed sown). The seedlings were allowed to grow in the nursery bed for altogether 70 days. Five seedlings from each replicate were randomly selected and uprooted very carefully to estimate the seedling biomass. The seedlings were then separated into its root and shoot components. Shoot and root was oven dried at 70⁰C for 48 hours and oven dry weight was determined.

Germination counts were recorded daily till the last germination occurred. The criterion for seed germination was visible protrusion on the surface of the soil at least 0.5cm of the cotyledon and hypocotyle of the seedlings. Daily germination percentages were summed up to obtain cumulative germination percents for each treatment. The germination energy, defined as the germination percentages when the mean daily germination reached its peak, was also determined. Germination energy is also measured of the speed of germination and hence, it is assumed as a measure of the vigor of the seed and of the seedling it produces. The interest in germination energy is based on the theory that only those seeds which germinate rapidly and vigorously under favorable conditions in the laboratory are capable of producing vigorous seedlings under field condition while weak and delayed germination is fatal. To assess the seedling vigor of the experiment, total height of each seedling in each sub-plot was measured using a ruler to the nearest 0.1cm. Vigor Index was calculated according to Abdulbaki and Anderson as germination percent X seedling total length i.e. total shoot and root length.

Source of Information: JOURNAL OF FORESTRY & ENVIRONMENT 3:53 - 60, 2005

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The present findings also show that seeds treated with 24 hours soaking in cold water (T₁) and seeds treated with nail clipping in one side of the seed (T₄) are even better than control seeds (T₀). Legume seeds have hard seed coat which plays a significant role in the processes of germination and seedling vigor mainly by restricting the water to the embryo. Legumes seeds with hard seed coats have been reported to enhance the germination with presowing treatments. Albizia procera has a hard seed coat, hence lower germination percentages occur. Enhancement of germination by pre- sowing treatments agrees with the findings of Zodape (1991), Randhawa et al. (1986), Mishra and Singh (1981) that presowing treatment increased the legume seed germination. Therefore, seeds treated with boiled water for 30 seconds followed by 24 hours soaking in cold water (T₂) and seeds treated with boiled water for 1 minute followed by 24 hours soaking in cold water (T₃) may be recommended for maximum seed germination and vigor seedlings of A. procera.

Knowledge Management: Journal