Study of the Germination of Wild and Cultivated Blackberries of the Northern Region of Morocco

Abstract

Rubus species germinate slowly due to the dormancy, that is, the non-germination of mature, intact, and viable seeds, despite the necessary conditions. For this reason we investigate the effect of scarification by sulfuric acid combined with boiling water, and gibberellic acid alone at two concentrations of 125 and 200 mg/l respectively in wild and cultivated blackberries of the north of Morocco in order to remove dormancy and increase the germination of berries. Different hormones combinations of gibberellic acid (GA3), potassium nitrate, and kenitin was tested in light conditions at 24 ℃ in cultivated varieties of blackberries Tupy and Prime-Ark 45, and the variety of the wild blackberry (Rubus fruticosus) grown in Slokiya region in the north of Morocco. The method of scarification by H2SO4 for 2 h followed by a combination treatment of two hormones GA3 (2.04 mg/l) and KNO3 (34 mg/l) gave us the best germination percentage of 40%. The treatment of GA3 at the concentration of 125 mg/l during 48 h of wild blackberries soaking gives a better germination rate for the wild blackberry in comparison to the cultivated blackberries. Chemical scarification by sulfuric acid combined with boiling water indicated that the best germination rate was recorded in the wild variety followed by cultivated blackberry, and this was performed during 30 min of soaking in sulfuric acid at a concentration of 96% while combining it with boiling water has no effect on the germination variation of these three varieties.