Abstract:
Erythrina lysistemon seeds
imported to Libya go through a stage of being
unable to germinate; we call this phase
"dormancy". The present study evaluated the
efficiency of the following methods in
breaking the dormancy of newly collected
Erythrina lysistemon seeds from mature pods
and stored for 12 months: untreated seeds
(control), mechanical scarification with
sandpaper, soaking treatments (tap water for
24 h, hydrochloric acid for 60 min, hydrogen
peroxide for 48 h, acetone for 72 h, Clorox
cleaner for 72 h, cow dung and chicken
manure for 24 h, and hot water at 100° C for
30 min), scarification with soaking (distilled
water for 24 h, and cow dung and chicken
manure for 12 h). All treatments showed a
significant increase (p<0.05) in the
germination rates of newly collected E.
lysistemon seeds from mature pods, except
for the treatment in which seeds were soaked
in tap water for 48 h, which was ineffective.
The different scarification treatments were
more efficient than the other treatments,
recording the highest germination
percentages and lowest mean germination
times, while the soaking treatments led to
high seed mortality. In contrast, seeds stored
for 12 months showed a significant decrease
in germination percentage with a delayed
mean germination time compared to newly
collected seeds under all tested treatments.
Soaking all treatments was ineffective in
breaking the dormancy of E. lysatetemon
seeds stored for 12 months. The results
indicate that E. lysistemon seeds have
physical dormancy that can be overcome
using different scarification.
