Abstract

The effects of seeds pre-treatment and media, on germination of the seeds and seedling development of Iroko,Milicia excelsa, an important but threatened timber yielding species, were assessed. M. excelsa seeds extracted from the fruits that dropped from the trees were subjected to various pre-treatments [(washing in tap water, (SB₁), washing in water and soaking for 15 min in hot water, 50° and 60°C, respectively (SB₃ and SB₄), washing in water, soaking in hot water 50 and 60°C, respectively, then left till hot water cooled (SB₄ and SB₆) and SB₁, is the control,] before sowing in 6 different media; (garden soil (GS), sawdust (SD), 1:1 mixtute of GS + SD, GS + PD (Poultry droppings), SD + PD and 1:2:1 mixture of GS + PD + SD). Pre-treated seeds; SB₂, SB₃, SB₅ germinated within 2 weeks after sowing, the control, SB₁ germinated within 3weeks while SB₄ and SB₆ failed to germinate. GS + PD + SD medium consistently influenced the highest percentage germination responses. Within the pre-treated seeds SB₃ gave the highest percentage germination (92%) and the control, the least 63%, while SB₄ and SB₆ failed to germinate. Variations shown by mean values of some seedling aerial growth parameters showed that the best values were consistently obtained with seedling grown in GS + PD + SD medium. The study has shown that M. excelsa can be propagated by the seeds.

Key words: Milicia excelsa, seed pretreatement media.