Comparative Study of Pre-Germination Treatments and their Effects on the Growth of Tectona Grandis (Linn. F) Seedlings

Abstract

A comparative study was conducted for three months to investigate the effect of pre-germination treatment on morphological and physiological
characteristics of Tectona grandis (Linn. F) seedlings. Matured seeds of Tectona grandis were collected from mother trees in Uyo and exposed to four pre-germination treatments – soaking in running water (SRW) for 24 hours, soaking in stagnant water (SSW) for 24 hours, soaking in boiled water (SBW) for 5 minutes and no treatment as control. Treated seeds were sown in the of Forestry and Wildlife Department nursery, University of Uyo by broadcast method in germination boxes. At two-leaf stage, fairly uniformed seedlings from each treatment were selected and transplanted into polypots filled with topsoil and laid on the field in completely randomized design, replicated three times. Morphological and physiological features were assessed after two weeks of transplanting and fortnightly thereafter. Data were subjected to ANOVA and the significant means separated using F-LSD. The result showed that pre-germination treatment had significant effect (p>0.05) on seedling height, number of leaves, stem collar diameter and biomass production while there was no significant effect (p<0.05) on leaf area. The seeds soaked in running water produced seedlings with the highest seedling height (9.26cm), number of leaves (11.88), stem collar diameter (0.44cm) shoot dry weight (1.05g/month) and relative growth (11.72g/month) while boiled water, stagnant water and control produced seedlings with the least values for seedling height (7.62cm), for root dry weight (0.51g/month) and for number of leaves (10.05) respectively. Pre-germination treatments of seeds soaked in
running water (SRW) for 24 hours were found to be more effective in
seedlings growth and biomass production.

Keywords: Tectona grandis, pre-germination treatment, seed dormancy,
seedling growth