Enhancing Garcinia kola Seed Germination Techniques | InformativeBD

Joseph M. Asomaning, from the institute of Ghana. wrote a Research article about, Enhancing Garcinia kola Seed Germination Techniques. Entitled, Germination of Garcinia kola (heckel) seeds in response to seed sectioning, chemical pretreatment and different temperatures. This research paper published by the Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences | JBES. an open access scholarly research journal Biodiversity. under the affiliation of the International Network For Natural Sciences| INNSpub. an open access multidisciplinary research journal publisher.

Abstract

Garcinia kola Heckel is a multi-purpose tree widely used in West Africa resulting in its over-exploitation, the species is extinction-threatened. On farm conservation through cultivation has been recommended. However, seeds of the species can take about 18 months to germinate. This study aims at generating information on how the combinations of the techniques of seed sectioning, chemical treatment and temperature can be used to enhance germination of the seed. Seed sections and whole seeds pretreated with dormancy breaking chemicals were germinated on a gel of 1% water agar at 20, 25, 30 and 35°C. Statistical design used in the investigation was a completely randomized design in a 5×7×4 factorial (germination materials × chemical treatments × temperature). Germination data showed significances (p<0.001) namely: germination materials, germination temperatures, germination materials x germination temperatures, germination materials x chemicals, germination temperatures x chemicals.

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Introduction

Garcinia is a tropical plant genus including several species in Africa, America and Asia. These species are commonly useful for many purposes. The seeds of G. kola have pharmacological uses in treating coughs, throat infections, bronchitis and hepatitis (Farombi et al., 2005) The seeds which serve as a bitter stimulant also serve as snake repellent when they are placed round the compound (Nair, 1990). Other medicinal uses include: purgative, antiparasitic, antimicrobial. The seeds are used to prevent and relieve colic, cure head or chest colds.

This plant has shown bronchodilator effect (Orie and Ekon 1993), anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antibacterial and antiviral properties (Akoachere et al., 2002). In laboratory tests, Garcinia kola was found to halt the deadly disease caused by Ebola virus in its tracks. The virus causes Ebola hemorrhagic fever - an often-fatal condition (Anonymous, 1999). Compounds from the plant have also proved effective against some strains of flu, a contagious respiratory disease also commonly known as influenza (Iwu, 1993). Its by-products are also useful: the wood makes excellent fuel wood; its dense rounded crown makes it an ideal tree for shade around homestead; the branches are used as chewing stick because of its bitter taste and antibacterial activities of its extracts (Taiwo et al., 1999). The bark of the stem is used in the tanning and dyeing industry (Irvine, 1961).

Because of its high interest resulting in its overexploitation, Garcinia kola is extinction-threatened in several West and Central African countries such as Ivory Coast (FAO (1996), Ghana (Wong, 1997), Congo and Cameroon (Tchatat, 1999). It is therefore useful to undertake on farm conservation by small holder farmers through agroforestry systems in order to decrease the pressure on wild population of the species. However, the major difficulty in Garcinia kola propagation as for several species of Garcinia genus is related to seeds germination. Due to dormancy in Garcinia, seeds can take as long as 18 months to germinate (Aduse-Poku et al., 2003). Some studies to investigate seed germination of some species in the genus Garcinia has been done at the farmer’s level and under laboratory conditions. These include Garcinia gummi-gutta (Geeta et al, 2006); Garcinia indica (Malik et al., 2005); Garcinia kola (Agyili et al., 2007; Kanmegne and Omokolo 2008).

The present work aims at generating information on how the combination of the techniques of seed sectioning, chemical treatment and temperature can be used to enhance the germination of G. kola. The information will be useful in raising large quantities of seedlings for several farming communities in Ghana who are being encouraged to plant the species on their cocoa farms as a shade crop and as a means of conserving the species.

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