Evaluation of Different Pre-Germination Treatments and Growth Media on Seed Emergence and Early Seedling Growth of Gum Arabic (Acacia Senegal)
Abstract:
The study investigated the effects of three (3) pre-treatment techniques and growth media on seed germination and seedling growth of gum arabic (Acacia senegal). The study consists of two experiments: The germination experiment and the growth experiment. The seeds were subjected to different pre-germination treatments. The treated and the untreated seeds (control) were sown in bowls previously filled with topsoil and watered for germination. The number of seeds germinated per day was monitored and recorded until no further germination was observed. For the early growth experiment, seedlings with relatively uniform height were selected from all the treatments and transplanted into polythene pots filled with different growth media (topsoil, river sand and sawdust) and arranged in Complete Randomized Design (CRD). Data collected was computed and subjected to analysis of variance at p = 0.05 and the mean was separated using the Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT). The results showed that all treatments had the same days of emergence (3 days). The highest germination rate (90.5%), was recorded for seeds soaked for 3 minutes in 80% acid concentration, while other treatments have lower germination percentages ranging from 13% to 80%. Topsoil showed a significant effect in the early growth of seedlings followed by sawdust and river sand respectively. Thus, 80% acid concentration soaked for 3 mins was recommended for pre-treatment of Acacia senegal seeds to improve germination performance, while topsoil was recommended as the best growth media for Acacia senegal seedlings.
