Abstract:
The study aimed at investigating the effect of chemical pre-sowing treatments
on the germination of Bauhinia rufescens seeds. The pre-sowing treatments
were made up of five different dilutions of concentrated sulphuric acid (10,
30, 50, 70, 90%), gibberellic acid (0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07, 0.09) and potassium
nitrate (0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9) and a control treated with distilled water.
Pure seeds of Bauhinia rufescens were soaked in the various dilutions
of sulphuric acid for 30 min while that of gibberellic acid and potassium nitrate
were soaked for 24 h. The control was soaked in distilled water for all the
respective treatments. The study lasted for 12 days during which data was collected
daily on germination which was used to calculate germination capacity, germination
value, germination rate, germination energy and coefficient of velocity of germination.
Data was analysed using general analysis of variance at 5% significance level.
There were significant differences between the treatments and interactions between
the treatments and sub-treatments including the control were also significant.
Sub-treatment 5 of treatment 1 (sulphuric acid) produced the highest germination
capacity of 93.8% and had the highest germination energy at 7, 10 and 12 days
after sowing. It produced the lowest germination rate at 25, 50 and 75% and
had the highest coefficient of velocity of 69. Other sub-treatments which also
had high germination capacity were sub-treatment 4 of treatment 1 (89.0%), sub-treatment
5 of treatment 2 (88.5%), sub-treatment 4 of treatment 2 (76.5). Germination
capacity increased with increasing concentration for all treatments. Only sub-treatments
5 and 4 of treatments 1 and 2 attained 75% germination rate. The results showed
that Sulphuric acid at 90% concentration was the most effective pre-sowing treatment
for the germination of Bauhinia rufescens seeds followed by 70% concentration
and that potassium nitrate was the least effective.
J.B.K. Asiedu, G.C. van der Puije, K.J. Taah and V. Dovlo, 2012. Effect of Some Presowing Treatments on Germination of Bauhinia rufescens Seeds. International Journal of Agricultural Research, 7: 195-204.
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