Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-x24gv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-10T11:10:04.849Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effect of pre-sowing and incubation treatment on germinationof Garcinia kola (Heckel) seeds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 April 2002

Emmanuel Nzegbule  and
Roy Mbakwe
Emmanuel Nzegbule
Affiliation:
College of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike, PMB 7267 Umuahia, Nigeria
Roy Mbakwe
Affiliation:
College of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike, PMB 7267 Umuahia, Nigeria
Get access

Abstract

Introduction.Garcinia kola, a multi-purpose fruit tree, produces fruit, seeds, roots and stem which are extensively used in Nigeria, Ghana and other West African countries for dental care. Cultivation of this fruit tree is limited because of poor seed germination. Our study therefore aimed at improving seed germination properties which will promote cultivation of G. kola by rural farmers. Materials and methods. Seeds taken from a single tree of G. kola were treated with cold water (22 °C), hot water (60 °C) and gibberelic acid (0.5 g × L-1) for various lengths of time. They were then put to incubate in sterilized river sand or a thick transparent polyethylene bag to evaluate the capacities of seed to be germinated under such conditions. In addition, the seed moisture content at harvest was also reduced to various levels before incubation in polyethylene bags to determine the critical moisture rate necessary for seeds to germinate. Results. The seeds incubated in the river sand without any treatment before sowing had an average time of germination of 71.2 d and a total percentage of germination of 28% whereas those incubated in polyethylene bags had an average time of germination of 25.8 d and a total percentage of germination of 62% . The cold water treatment, irrespective of the incubation method, did not significantly affect either the mean germination time or the total germination percentage. However, it significantly reduced the spreading out of the seed germination to 5.4 d. The seed pretreatment with gibberelic acid prolonged at the same time the average time of germination and the spreading out of the germination. The seed water content at harvest (50.4%) allowed the best rate of seed germination and the shortest spreading out of the germination period. Conclusion. The pretreatment of freshly harvested seeds with cold water followed by an incubation in a thick transparent polyethylene bag proved most effective in enhancing the germination of G. kola seeds. This procedure has to be recommended to promote the cultivation of this species.

Keywords

NigeriaGarcinia kolaplant propagationseedgerminationgerminabilityseed treatmentNigeriaGarcinia kolamultiplication des plantessemencegerminationfaculté germinativetraitement des semences
Type
Research Article
Information
Fruits , Volume 56 , Issue 6 , November 2001 , pp. 437 - 442
Copyright
© CIRAD, EDP Sciences

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Keay R.W.J., Onochie C.I.A., Stanfield D.F., Nigerian trees, vol. 2, Dep. For. Res., Ibadan, Nigeria, 1964.
Irvine F.R., Woody plants of Ghana, Oxf. Univ. Press, Oxford, UK, 1961.
Nattaya, C., Kazuya, T., Yasushi, O., Shigeo, N., Tomihisa, O., Mangostanol, a prenyl xanthone from Garcinia mangostana, Phytochemistry 43 (5) (1996) 1099-1102.
Hiroyuki, M., Emi, T., Mitsuaki, K., Yoshiyasu, F., Three xanthones from Garcinia subelliptica, Phytochemistry 41 (2) (1996) 629-633.
Eka, O.U., Studies in the feasibility of replacing hop with other bittering substances in brewing, Niger. J. Microbiol. 20 (1984) 84-89.
Achinewhu, S.C., Ogbonna, C.C., Hart, A.D., Chemical composition of indigenous wild herbs, spices, fruits, nuts and leafy vegetables used as food, Plant Foods Hum. Nutr. 48 (1995) 341-348. CrossRef
Leakey, R.R.B., Farmers top - Priority fruit trees, Agroforest. Today 2 (3-4) (1995) 11-15.
Olabanji, S.O., Makanju, O.V. Haque, A.M.I., Buoso, M.C., Ceccato, D., Cherbini, R., Moschini, G., PIGE-PIXE analysis of chewing sticks of pharmacological importance, Nucl. Instrum. Meth. B 113 (1996) 368-372. CrossRef
Ogu, E.O., Agu, R.C., A comparison of some chemical properties of Garcinia kola and hops for assessment of Garcinia brewing value, Bioresource Technol. 54 (1995) 1-4. CrossRef
Bewley J.D., Black M., Seeds physiology of development and germination, Plenum Press, New York, USA, 1986.
Steele R.G.D., Torrie J.H., Principles and procedures of statistics, 2nd edition, McGraw Hill, New York, USA, 1982.
Schaefer C., Storage of tree seed in Kenya - Recommendations and problems, Proc. 1st Natl. Tree Seed Workshop, Kenya For. Seed Cent., Muguga, Kenya, 1992.
Piotto B., The effects of scarification on the germination of the seeds of Trachycarpus fortunei (Hookes) Wendl, in: Some L.M., de Kam M. (Eds), Tree seed problems, with special reference to Africa, Proc. IUFRO Symp., Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, 1992, pp. 154-160.
Brookman-Amissah J., Coumarin like substances in the fruit of Terminalia ivorensis A. Chev. inhibit its germination, in: Proc. 2nd Int. Symp. physiology of seed germination, Gov. For. Exp. Stn, Tokyo, Japan, 1976.
Lompo M., Étude de La dormance et identification des inhibiteurs de germination ou de croissance au niveau des semences de Terminalia avicenniodes Guill. et Perr., Terminalia macroptera Guill. et Perr. et Terminalia mantaly Perr., mém. ITDR, Univ. Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso,1990.
Come D., Rôle des facteurs du milieu dans la germination et la survie des semences, in: Some L.M., de Kam M. (Eds), Tree seed problems, with special reference to Africa, Proc. IUFRO Symp., Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, 1992, pp. 154-160.
Wickham, L.D., Extension of dormancy in cushcush yams (Dioscorea trifida) by treatment with gibberellic acid, Trop. Sci. 28 (1988) 75-77.
Nnodu, E.C., Alozie, S.O., Using gibberellic acid to control sprouting of yam tubers, Trop. Agric. (Trinidad) 69 (1992) 329-332.
Ellis, R.H., Hong, T.D., Roberts, E.H., Tao, K.L., Low moisture-content limits to relation between seed longevity and moisture, Ann. Bot. 65 (1990) 493-504. CrossRef
Senaratne, R., Seresinhe, P.S.J.W., Effect of seed treatment on the germination of lpil-Ipil (Leucaena leucocephala (L.) Benth) seeds, Beitr. Zurtropi. Landwirtsch. Vet. (Germany) 22 (1) (1984) 69-72.
Wang B.S.P, Scheer G.C, Coleman S.J., Effects of moisture content and storage temperature on germination of white spruce seeds, in: Some L.M., de Kam M. (Eds), Tree seed problems, with special reference to Africa, Proc. IUFRO Symp., Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, 1992, pp. 234-238.
Miranda, I.D., Ekarika, C.J., Chemical evaluation of the nutritive value and changes in ascorbic acid contend during storage of the fruit of "bitter kola'' (Garcinia kola), Food Chem. 54 (1995) 67-72.