Seedling Emergence of Blighia sapida (K. D. Konig) Seeds Subjected to Different Lengths of Storage and Pretreatments

Aims: The study investigated the influence of different lengths of storage at room temperature and pretreatments on seedling emergence of Blighia sapida seeds.

Study Design: Randomized complete block design with four replicates was used.

Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was conducted at the nursery of Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria for about three months.

Methods: Seeds of Blighia sapida under five lengths of storage at room temperature being Fresh, 7 days, 14 days, 21 days and 28 days were sown in germination boxes filled with topsoil after subjection to four pretreatments thus: Control, Hot water, Soaking in water at room temperature and Scarification. Cumulative germination count was done daily till no further germination was observed for about a week.

Results: Seeds sown Fresh and pretreated by Soaking in water at room temperature had the highest germination percentage of 96.7% followed by those under Control with germination percentage of 76.7%. Seeds stored for 7 days had germination percentage of 33.3% under Control and Scarification whereas the ones subjected to Soaking in water at room temperature produced 40% germination percentage. Hot water pretreatment gave 0% germination under the different lengths of storage. In seeds stored for 14 days, 3.3%, 6.7% and 13.3% germination percentages were observed for Control, Soaking in water at room temperature and Scarification respectively. However, seeds stored for 21 days and 28 days gave 0% germination for the different pretreatments.

Conclusion: Fresh seeds of B. sapida are the most suitable for sowing whereas they can also be stored at room temperature for 7days to obtain appreciable viable seeds beyond which viability cannot be guaranteed even with the use of different pretreatments.