Germination Characteristics of Parinari curatellifolia Planch. Ex Benth, Vitex doniana Sweet and Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides (Lam) Watermann Seeds

Abstract

Germination characteristics studies of seeds of three local species in Burkina Faso namely Parinari curatellifolia, Vitex doniana and Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides have been carried out. The aim of this study was to carry out the appropriate pre-treatment and temperature which give the best percentage of seed germination for these three locales species. For that the seed were placed in different temperature 15°C; 20°C; 25°C; 30°C; 35°C and 19 pre-treatment from Soaking in water x hours; Scalding, Cooking x minute, Soaking of sulfuric acid x minute, scarification and decorticating were applied for all seeds used for this study‘s. For temperature test, only Parinaria curatelifolia seeds are germinated at 35°C with 13%. Sulphuric acid pre-treatments during 60 mn for Vitex doniana seeds and 5 mn for Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides seeds gave the highest germination percentages in the laboratory, respectively 40% and 62%. None of the numerous pre-treatments applied to the seeds of Parinari curatellifolia, led to successful germination. While, for Vitex doniana and Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides seeds we can conclude that their seeds are dealing with a physical dormancy that is overcome by chemical scarification, seeds of Parinari curatellifolia have a deeper dormancy, which may be physiological or combined (physical and physiological).