EFFECT OF HEAT SCARIFICATION ON GERMINATION OF PARKLA BIGLOBOSA SEEDS

In rangeland systems, the hard seed coat of Parkia biglobosa requires to be scarified to facilitate water absorption and initiate germination. The use of hot water scarification has been reported for hard seed coat of seeds like Parkia biglobosa but the extent of heat treatment needs to be ascertained, Hence, this study is designed to evaluate the effect of varying degree of hot water on seeds of Parkia biglobosa. Seeds of Parkia biglobosa were procured from open market in Ondo State, simple viability test was carried out on the seeds after which only viable seeds were subjected to scarification. At the end of the seed viability test, the viable seeds were subjected to heat treatments at the following temperature levels; Treatment l- Control, Treatment 2- 600C, Treatment - 800C and Treatment 4 1000C. Ten seeds of Parkia biglobosa seeds were wrapped in a permeable handkerchief and immersed in the heated water for 2 minutes depending on the allotted treatment. After immersion, the seeds were air-dried and then planted in prepared planting tray using saw dust as planting medium. From this result, it is observed that there was no significant (120.05) difference across the treatments, Seeds scarified at 600C and the control germinated in the 2nd and rd week of planting respectively. Seedlings from the scarified seeds maintained growth for about weeks before they eventually died. The study concludes that hot water treatment at 80 and 1000 C destroyed the seed coats of Parkia biglobosa seeds,