Leucaena pallidas (Berth) seedling vigour indices as influenced by different dormancy breaking pre-sowing treatments

Abstract

Five (5) presowing dormancy breaking treatments viz: intact seed (UNT), sand paper box scarification (SPB), soaking in sulpluric acid for 30 seconds (SA 30), soaking in boiled water for 30seconds (SB30) and 60 seconds (SB60) were used to break the dormancy of Leucaena pallida (L. pallida) test the effect on seeding vigour indices viz: leaflet numbers (CLN), Terminal plant height (PH), Plant weight (PW), Root weight (RW), Leaf weight (LW) and stem weight (SMW). Although highest (P< 0 05) for value in SA30 leaflet number,(884) plant height (44.81cm) and stem weight (2.5lgm) SB60 had highest (P< 0.05) leaf height (0.66gm), also high positive correlation were observed between leaflet number and plant height with weeks after planting indicating that the dormancy is principally due to hard seed coat testa and that the various treatments had no adverse effects on the indices and hence, soaking in water for 6o seconds is recommended and extended to agro-pastoralist farmers based on economic, health and affordability purposes, while acid is discouraged due to its toxic nature, sand paper method can be used when and where available.

Key word: Leucaena-pallida, seedling-Vigour indices preserving treatment, plant- height, leafletnumber.