Effect of plant extract as seed treatment on the germination of Mucuna flagellipes Hook.F (ukpo) seed

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different treatments on seed germination of the Mucuna flagillepes Hook. F (ukpo) species was carried out at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Imo State University, Owerri. This experiment consisted of seven(7) treatment levels and was replicated three times, the treatment were O,12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72hours, then untreated seeds serve as a control in a completely randomized design. During the germination stage, germination percentage, imbibitions period (IP), germination index(GI), germination speed (GS), and seed vigor index (SVI) were recorded. The
result obtained from Plant extract, Piper guineense (uziza), and Xlopia aethiopica (Uda), results showed that uziza extract at 12 and 48hours priming gave the highest germination percentage (99.33%) while 72hours gave the fastest imbibitions period of 7days which was significantly different (P<0.05) from the controls. Also, Uziza extract compared with Uda extract in 72 hours priming duration significantly improved the Germination index (0.4066), germination speed (0.2300), and seed vigor index (5.277). The use of plant extracts at an increased soaking period of 60 hours and 72 hours respectively will enhance germination parameters and seedling growth treatment of the seed of Mucuna flagellipes.