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Full Length Research Paper
Influence of
oven-dry heat (400c) treatment on germination of
some Savanna tree seeds species: Tamarindus indica,
Albizia lebbeck, Parkia biglobossa
and Prosopis africana in Nigeria
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1Ajiboye
A. A*, 2Ajiboye M.Dand 3D. A Agboola.
1*Department of Biological Sciences, Osun State University, Osogbo,
Osun State, Nigeria.
2Department of Biological Sciences, Osun State University, Osogbo,
Osun State, Nigeria.
3Department of Biological sciences, University of
Agriculture,Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria.
*Corresponding
author
Email-abidupsy@yahoo.com
Accepted 10 September, 2011
Studies were
carried out on the influence of dry heat treatment on the
germination of some selected Savanna tree seeds species-
Tamarindus indica ,Albizia lebbeck,Parkia
biglobossa and Prosopis africana. Their
selections were made on their importance in nutrient
recycling of soils and the role they play in improving the
economy of the Savanna people. The seeds are recklessly used
with high rate of seedling mortality, without a
corresponding afforestation. Those seeds have been found to
be dormant under natural condition. This poses threat to
seedling establishment and forest regeneration in the
Savanna regions of Nigeria. Viability test showed 80-100%
for the seeds before laboratory examination. The dormancy
state was terminated in the seeds giving 60-70% germination
in A.lebbeck and 80-90% in T.indica under 2-3
h duration. However, P.biglobossa and P.africana
showed 20-25% germination. Untreated seeds were used as
control. Data were subjected to analysis of variance using
the least significant difference. This work would improve
the germinability of these valuable seeds and help in
raising seedlings for afforestation programmes.
Keywords: Oven-dry, germination,
afforestation, deforestation.
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