EFFECT OF HOT WATER AND SULPHURIC ACID PRE-TREATMENT ON TOTAL GERMINATION OF HORSE TAMARIND (Leucaena leucocephala) SEEDS AT DIFFERENT IMMERSION TIME

Abstract

A laboratory experiment was conducted to access the effect of immersion period in hot water and sulphuric acid pre treatments on total germination of Leucaena leucocephala seeds. The experiment was arranged in a factorial combination of three (3) immersion time (for 2, 4 and 6 minutes) and pretreatment methods (hot water at 80oC and diluted sulphuric acid at 10%) in a Completely Randomized Design with four (4) replicates. Results shows that immersing Leucaena seeds in hot water for 6 minutes recorded higher seed germination percentage (82.5%) followed by immersing seeds for 4 minutes (65%). The least seed germination percentage (35%) was recorded at 2 minutes. Total germination values increased as increasing immersion time up to 6 minutes. However among the immersion periods of the acid treatments, the highest germination percentage was recorded when seeds were soaked for 2 minutes (50%) followed by soaking in 4 minutes (25%) and 6 minutes (25%). It is therefore concluded that immersion of Immersing Leucaena seeds in hot water for 6 minutes was the best option to obtain rapid germination.