Effect of Seed Pre- Germination Treatment and Light Regimes on The Germination and Growth of Myrianthus Arboreus (P. Beauv) Seedlings

The effects of seed pre-treatment methods on the germination and growth of Myrianthus arboreus under two light regimes was conducted in the nursery of the Department of Forest Resources and Wildlife Management, University of Benin, Benin City. The seed pre-treatment methods were 24 hours soaking in water (T1), 12 hours soaking in water (T2), seeds tied in black nylon (T3), control no treatment (T4) and repeated under two light regimes which were open light regime and medium light regime. Experiment was set up in Completely Randomized Design manner (CRD.) Analysis of variance was used to analyze the results of germination and growth parameters measured. Germination percentages in the open light regime were 52, 56, 52 and 56% for T1, T2,T3, and T4 respectively while germination percentage in the medium light regime were 100, 64, 0 and 32% for T1, T2, T3, and T4 respectively. The mean shoot heights (cm) were 10.22 and 5.36 in the open light regime and medium light regime respectively. Collar girths (mm) were 1.99 and 1.11 number of leaves were 3.39 and 2.23 while the mean shoot to root ratio was 1.01 and 0.99 for the open light regime and the medium light regime respectively. Therefore, it is recommended that the seeds of Myrianthus arboreus be soaked in water for 24 hours, sown under medium transferred at the 2-leaf stage to the open light regime (or shading removed) where they will grow until planting out time.