 |
Online ISSN : 2349-8080 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorinchiefijcrbp@gmail.com |
Assessing and monitoring forest species are essential for implementing effective conservation strategies that support biodiversity. Since Beninese Afzelia populations are threatened by regression, we analyzed as a preliminary study the germination behaviour of the species to plan subsequent programs for preservation and rehabilitation. In this context and to optimize Afzelia africana seed germination as well as to overcome and remove the obstacle of tegumentary inhibition, we have in the first preliminary attempt tested several chemical pretreatments (tap and distilled water, sodium hypochlorite 5% solution, potassium nitrate solutions KNO3 2 and 5 gL-1) for different seed ages and storage temperatures in three provenances. Thus, we could determine the optimal germination conditions that can be used afterward for evaluating the germination capacity and speed of the species. Germination capacity, speed and kinetics were analyzed, and the data was submitted to ANOVA. Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric tests were performed to identify and classify the seed ages, storage conditions, treatments and accessions. The solution of KNO3 5 gL-1 allowed the best germination capacity (75-100%) in all genotypes during the first six months-ages of the seeds. The control (tap water) permitted the lowest seed germination capacity (50-65%). The germination capacity diminished to around 50% by the twelfth-months old seeds. Genotype ‘Koto’ delivered better results than Massi NC and Tchétou. The germination speed was generally weak (0.050 J-1). The same trends for the seed germination speed as for the germination capacity were observed. Both germination capacity and speed decreased with age. Seeds stored at low temperatures (8?C) germinated better than those stored at high temperatures (37?C). Interactions: Accession × Treatment, Seed age × Treatment as well as Seed storage conditions × Treatment were very significant for all estimated parameters, indicating a relatively important contribution of the seed ages, storage temperatures, treatments and provenances to the phenotypic expression.
