EFFECT OF SOWING DEPTHS ON THE GERMINATION AND EARLY GROWTH OF DIFFERENT SEED-SIZE CLASSES OF Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.

• U.D. Chima

  Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria Emails: uzoma.chima

  Author

• C. Fredrick

  Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria Emails: uzoma.chima

  Author

• C.H. Ndubuokwu

  Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria Emails: uzoma.chima

  Author

Information on the effect of sowing depth on the germination and early growth of different seed sizes of A. heterophyllus has not been documented. Therefore, this study examined the effect of sowing depths on the germination and early growth of different seed sizes of A. heterophyllus. It specifically evaluated the effect of differents owing depths on the emergence, duration of emergence, germination percentage, total height, number of leaves, collar diameter, seedling biomass and moisture content of three seed size classes of A. heterophyllus. Viable seeds of A. heterophyllus were obtained from a single mother tree and separated into three seed size classes using their diameters. The diameter classes are small (0.90-1.26 cm), medium (1.30-1.55 cm) and large (1.60 -1.80 cm). The seed diameter varied significantly (p ≤ 0.05) among the three size classes. The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Seeds from each seed-size class were sown at three depths (2, 4 and 6 cm) with ten replicates for each of the sowing depths. The results of the study showed that emergence started from 2cm depth for all the seed diameter classes; 13 days after sowing (DAS) for the small and medium size classes and 14 DAS for the large seed-size class. Increase in sowing depth slightly delayed emergence for one day (4cm depth) and two days (6cm depth), for all the seed sizes. Germination was 100% for the small and medium seed sizes at all the sowing depths and 100%, 90% and 80% for the large diameter seed class at the 2cm, 4cm and 6cm depths, respectively. Germination duration was shortest at the 2cm sowing depth except for the small seed size. At twelve weeks after sowing (WAS) seedlings from the large seed-size class performed better in the evaluated growth variables despite the generally slight delay in emergence. Biomass and fresh weight were higher in large and small seed sizes sown at 2cm with the exception of the medium size where biomass was highest at 6 cm depth. This study revealed that sowing A. heterophyllus seeds at a depth of 2 cm is most appropriate for better germination and growth.

1. U.D. Chima, Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria Emails: uzoma.chima

   Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria Emails: uzoma.chima

2. C. Fredrick, Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria Emails: uzoma.chima

   Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria Emails: uzoma.chima

3. C.H. Ndubuokwu, Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria Emails: uzoma.chima

   Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria Emails: uzoma.chima

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