Abstract
Seed size is a trait of the plant that affects seed germination and seedling survival. This study aims to assess the growth response of J. curcas to different seed sizes. A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of J. curcas seed sizes on the seedling vigour and seed component. The seeds were fractioned into three sizes visually into: large, medium and small and by 1000 seeds weight (SW). Seedling vigour was assessed by: germination % (G%), seedling length cm (SL), seedling vigour index, SVI, seedling growth rate, SGR, and speed of germination, SOG as well as proportion of cake, shell and oil content (OC) expressed as% of the seed. Results obtained shows that G% and the SOG were not affected by seed sizes but by other factors within the seed. However, seedling vigour expressed as SL, SVI and SGR increased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) with increase in seed sizes. Proportion of cake, shell and oil component of J. curcas seeds increased with increasing seed sizes while 60% of the seed is made up of the cake from where the oil is extracted. Dry matter yield, DMY significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased with increase in seed size from 6.41 g/plant in large seeds to 2.61 g/plant in small seeds. There is positive and strong significant correlation between, SW and DMY (r = 0.91**), yield increase (r = 0.82**), OC (r = 0.85**), % cake (r = 0.94**). Findings revealed that larger seed had higher potential of producing vigorous plants with eventual high crop yield and higher OC.
Highlights
Jatropha curcas L. is a perennial shrub or tree belonging to the family Euphorbiaceae which in the last decades has received considerable attention from researchers and several stakeholders due to, among many uses, its potential as a feedstock, for renewable biofuel production and the ability to grow in marginal lands with less water and nutrients (Namasivayam et al, 2007; Wang et al, 2011)
Seedling vigour expressed as seedling length, seedling vigour index and seedling growth rate increased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) with increase in seed sizes
Positive and highly significant correlation was found between seed weight, seeds weight (SW) and dry matter yield, Dry Matter Yield (DMY) (r = 0.91**), yield increase, YI (r = 0.82**), oil content (r = 0.85**), % cake (r = 0.94**). These results shows that larger seed had higher potential of producing vigorous plants as described by (Zareian et al, 2013) where it is obvious that increase in biological yield by increasing seed size was related to higher seedling weight and weight of 100 plants were produced by larger seed sizes in wheat., increasing seed size had a positive linear association with early canola biomass and 1000-seed weights, (Harker et al, 2015)
Summary
Jatropha curcas L. is a perennial shrub or tree belonging to the family Euphorbiaceae which in the last decades has received considerable attention from researchers and several stakeholders due to, among many uses, its potential as a feedstock, for renewable biofuel production and the ability to grow in marginal lands with less water and nutrients (Namasivayam et al, 2007; Wang et al, 2011). The plant offers an ecological advantage to mitigate soil degradation and to restore marginal land or abandoned farmlands (Reubens et al, 2011). Despite these potentials, J. curcas is still a semi-wild or wild undomesticated plant and has not received enough research attention to be able to understand its basic agronomic needs to improve its growing and management practices in many ecological areas
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