Effect of Water Sources on the Radicle Elongation of some Cash Crops from Nigeria

Abstract

Five water sources were used to germinate four different cash crops from Nigeria. The water was sourced from salty water, river water, stream water, rain water and borehole water. The effect of these water sources on the radicle elongation were measured on the seeds of maize (Zea mays L.) variety TZL Comp 4C3DTP2, cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp ssp. unguiculata) variety ITO7K-299-6, groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and melon (Citrullus colocynthis (Linn.) Schrad) respectively. The physicochemical properties of the different water used varied from one location to another. The pH of salty water, river water, rain water and borehole water were alkaline except stream water. The Ca, Mg and total hardness were high in borehole water than other water sources. Salty water had high Ca, Mg, K, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, Cl, SO₄ contents when compared with others. The highest radicle growth length after five days were obtained with stream water at 25.36 ± 7.461 mm, 4.47 ± 1.438 mm, 4.75 ± 1.975 mm, 6.24 ± 1.018 mm for maize, melon, cowpea and groundnut respectively. There was significant difference (p>0.05) amongst treatments. The seeds of monocotyledon (maize) gave higher radicle length in different water sources when compared to dicotyledonous seeds (melon, cowpea, and groundnut). The study revealed a reduction in radicle growth length with seeds germinated with salty water.