Assessment of Pre-sowing treatments on germination and early growth of tamarind (<i>Tamarindus indica</i> L.)

Abstract

Germination of seeds is often very difficult for many useful species principally because of dormancy. In other to achieve the aim of any regeneration programme, seed collection and germination must be taken into consideration. In view of this, germination and early growth assessment of Tamarindus indica L. were conducted to determine the suitable medium for germination and early growth. The viable seeds of the study species were treated with four concentrations of cow milk and four concentrations of coconut milk (1 molar, 2 molar, 3 molar and 4 molar) and five treatments at a time (14 hours) which constituted main and sub-plot treatments, with four replications. After treatment, seeds were washed with distilled water, air-dried for 30 minutes and treated with fungicides (vinclozolin). Treated seeds were sown in 4cm depth of sterilized sand and 80ml of water per seed was applied regularly at two days interval. The data collected on the effect fresh cow milk and coconut milk on seed germination and mean germination time was subjected to two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The percentage germination value of seeds treated in all concentrations of coconut milk, for all treatments ranged from 65% to 100% while seeds soaked in all concentrations of fresh cow milk for all times of treatments ranged from 70% to 100%. Seeds soaked in all concentrations of coconut milk for all treatment time were statistically significant compared to control. However, growing T. indica with coconut milk concentration in the mixture of sand and poultry droppings after 14 hours pre-treatment was recommended.