Effect of Different Seed Treatment Methods on the Germination of Senna occidentalis L. 1829 (Coffee Senna) in Sokoto, Sudan Savanna Ecosystem, Nigeria

Background and Objective: Seed treatment is an act of subjecting a seed into water, chemical or heating medium often to break its dormancy and enhance its embryo to germinate into a seedling within the shortest time possible. Therefore, seed dormancy has remained the greatest challenging issue in seedling production for any reason in plant production programme the world over. This study was carried out to determine the effect of different seed treatment methods on the germination of Senna occidentalis L. 1829 (Coffee Senna) in Sokoto, Sudan Savanna ecosystem, Nigeria.

Materials and Methods: Hence, three (3) in vitro germination tests at different levels were conducted at Agricultural Chemical Laboratory of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, for thirty six (36) days period to tackle seed dormancy difficulties of S. occidentalis. This was with the view to providing some basic information on the matter due to the socioeconomic nutritional potentials of the plant to man in the Sudano-Sahelian ecosystem.

Results: The study determined 2 days soaking (83.00%), 15 minutes hot water (76.65%) and 10 minutes chemical (H2SO4) (90.02%) methods as the best germination tests for the seed germinability of S. occidentalis in the study area and the results were reported in percentages. However, the field experiment in turn, revealed that germination percentages of S. occidentalis (Coffee Senna) seeds obtained were 45.78% at Fadama habitat and 35.56% at upland location, respectively.

Conclusion: Therefore, the best methods determined in this study are recommended for practice in the seedling production of Senna occidentalis L. 1829 (Coffee Senna) and its allied species in the study area.