Studies on germination and seedling growth rate of Blighia Sapida koenig.--A candidate for reforestation

Abstract

This study investigated the germination and seedling growth rate of B. sapida (Sapindaceace) with a view to determining the germination potential and its growth performance. The germination study was carried out in the laboratory; the seeds were sown in a plastic germination box (12cm×22cm×5cm) lined with moistened filter paper, replicated four times for both scarified and control seeds after which 0 they were incubated at 25±2^oC in light. The control seeds readily germinated with a percentage germination of 96.7%±1.11 after 18 days, a percentage germination attained by scarified seeds after 10 days. Five seedlings were grown per bowl in five replicates and arranged in a completely randomized layout. The shoot height, leaf area, root length, fresh and dry weight of both roots and shoots of the seedlings were determined. B. sapida seedlings exhibited a slow growth rate attaining a shoot height of 22±1.58 cm and root length of 22.5±3.77 cm after 14 weeks of sowing. The leaves increased in number from an average of 2±0.00 in week 4 to 4.4±0.40 in week 12, with correspondingly total leaf area of 133.39±12.24 cm² and 542.72± 102.12cm², respectively. Both fresh and dry weights of shoots and roots increased significantly during the period of growth assessment. The assessed growth parameters are discussed together with the suitability of Blighia sapida plant for reforestation projects.

Keywords: Growth Rate, Seedling, Reforestation.