Germination and seedling growth of golden shower (Cassia fistula L) as influenced by method of breaking hard seed coat dormancy and dipping duration

Abstract

Laboratory and field experiments were conducted at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta on Latitude 7 14’N and longitude 3 21’E to determine the best method of breaking hard seed coat dormancy and duration of dipping for rapid and complete germination and growth of golden shower seedlings. Seed of golden shower (Cassia fistula) soaked in H2SO4 (95%); Gibberelic acid (GA3) (0.5g/L); hot water (100 oC) for 5, 10 and 15 minutes and untreated (control) were arranged in a completely Randomized Design with three replications. Data collected on germination and seedling growth parameters were subjected to Analysis of Variance and treatment means separated using Least Significant Design (LSD) at 5% level of probability. In the laboratory experiment, seeds soaked in GA3 had highest germination percentage (100%), followed by those soaked for 5, 10 and 15 minutes had germination percentage of 100, 87, and 81 %, respectively. On the field, seeds treated with H2SO4 had significantly (P 0.05) higher seedling emergence (100% and 79%), followed by seeds treated with hot water (87% and 53%) while seeds treated with GA3 and untreated had zero germination. Soaking of seeds for 5 and 10 minutes resulted in highest (87 and 68%) and (58 and 53%) seedling emergence, respectively for the two field trials. Dry matter of seedlings from seed soaked in either H2S04 or hot water was not different, but seeds soaked for 5 minutes had seedlings with higher values. Therefore, soaking of seeds of Cassia fistula in hot water for 5 minutes is the best practicable and economical procedure for nurserymen to induce rapid germination and seedling growth