The Influence of Seed Size and the Dormancy on Germination Behaviour of Prosopis juJiflora (Sw.) DC. growing in Qatar PDF

Keywords

Seed size, Germination, Plants, Qatar

Abstract

The leguminous tree Prosopis juliflora produces both small and large seeds the donnancy of which appears to be caused by the impenneability of the seed coat to water. Sulphuric acid was found to be the most effective breaker of donnancy. Seed size had no effect on the final gennination percentage prior to breaking of donnancy. After donnancy breaking the small seeds were the faster to germinate during the first five days but the ultimate percentage gennination of both categories of seeds was the same by the end of the experiment. As the donnancy was broken the percentage of seedlings emerging from both types of seeds was higher (and germination more rapid) from shallow sowing and decreased progressively with deeper sowing. Both types of seeds were found to germinate in a wide range of temperatures.