Abstract

the, negative effects ofraPid industrialization and deforestation » 'Smaj h* toT ““urrenee of Maesobotrya barter! (bush cherry). Clonal J,'was carried out at the Nursery ofto^Denm “ “r“fn' Seed pre‘germination trea,nKnt of M r u aI Oknara Univerdtv nf a• ? Department ofForestry and Environmental Management, M’C UmUdike’ Abia State at the of three months. frU1 SThp fruits were de-nnln H t^6 COectec^ from Umuezenta, Nbawsi in Isiala-Ngwa North, Abia Sta*ej vhich was nw/i ° e*tract tbe see^s. All the seeds were thoroughly mixed to obtain a r method The see^ ° StudY' Processed seeds were subjected to viability test by the t mim t m. Py®'Sei™.inatron treatments used were: i) soaking 100 seeds in hot water at , °r , eS ( u) soaking 100 seeds in cold water for 24 hours (T2); and iii) leaving 100 see s un rea e , as e control (T3). The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block esign ( ). e seeds were planted in perforated poly-pots filled with top soil and watered daily, while observing and recording germination in each treatment group. The first germination was recorded at four days from the seeds soaked in hot water (Tl); the group soaked in cold water (T2) recorded its first germination five days after sowing, while the control group (T3) had its first germination at 14 days after sowing. Three types of fermented organic manure (cow dung, horse dung and poultry manure) were also independently applied to the base of seedlings as organic manure to enhance growth. Data on growth parameters (i.e., stem height and girth (diameter), leaf length, leaf area and leaf number) were collected weekly during the period of the study. The data were analyzed using least significant difference (LSD) for Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The result showed that soaking Maesobotrya barteri in hot water for five minutes was the most effective way of enhancing seed germination. Also the results indicated that there was a significant effect of the interaction ofseed pre-germination treatment and organic fertilizer application of cow dung which caused improvement in the shoot height, leaf broadness, shoot diameter and leaf number of Maesobotrya barteri seedlings.