Effect of Coconut Water on Pre-Sowing Treatments Additive on Seed Germination and Initial Seedlings Growth Performance of Kamagong (Diospyros discolor)

Abstract

Mabolo (Diospyros discolor), which is an indigenous species locally known as Kamagong, is popularly called “iron-wood”. With over-exploitation, these species are now threatened and are becoming extinct. Hence, it is the only way to conserved and save this economically valuable species by using nursery techniques with appropriate pre-sowing treatments. Therefore, the present study was attempted to evaluate the effect of coconut water on pre-sowing treatments additive on seed germination and initial growth performance of Kamagong (D. discolor). The seeds were extracted and subjected to the following treatments for 12 hours: Soaking in 100% water which is the control (T1), soaking with 50% of coconut water and 50% water (T2), and soaking in 100% coconut water (T3). The results showed that T3 had the highest germination mean value (78.33%), mean seedling height (11.80 cm) and mean number of leaves (2.04). By contrast, T2 (50% coconut water + 50% water) obtained the least germination mean value (76.67%), mean seedling height (11.63 cm) and mean number of leaves (2.00). However, there were no significant differences in the germination percentage, seedling height and number of leaves among all treatments at (p ≤ 0.05). The seeds subjected to T2 and T3 were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) better than seeds subjected to T1, having a mean root collar diameter (RCD) value of 3.98 mm, 3.75 mm and 3.48 mm, respectively. In terms of leaf measurements, the seedlings subjected to T2 and T3 had the highest leaf width value of 5.18 cm and 4.97 cm, respectively, whereas the seedlings subjected to T1 had the significantly lowest leaf width of 4.88 cm. Moreover, there was no significant effect among all treatments in terms of leaf and root length. Furthermore, it was observed in the study that fungal pathogens should also be taken into account as the pathogens are associated with the reduction of the germination percentage of the D. discolor seeds. Also, the study found out that seeds treated with 50% and 100% coconut water positively influenced the germination and initial seedling growth performance of D. discolor.