Influence of pre-sowing treatments on dichrostachys cinerea and its agrihorticultural potentials

Abstract

Dichrostachys cinerea (Linn) Wight and Synonym Dichrostachys. Glomerata (Forsk.) Chiov; commonly known as Sickle bush or Chinese Lantern tree belongs to the natural Order Fabales, Family Fabaceae and Sub-Family Mimosoideae. It’s spike inflorescence are of two showy colours –pink and yellow flowers are faintly fragrant, very decorative and the finely divided feathery leaflets gives the tree an attractive appearance, thus it can be exploited as an ornamental plant. Dichrostachys cinerea exhibits seed coat dormancy. Seeds were sown in white plastic buckets filled with loose and well drained river sand at sowing depth of 3cm.Bucket diameter was 22cm and bucket depth from the base to the bream was 24cm. Buckets were laid out in complete randomized design. Four(4) replications of 100 randomly picked seeds-25 seeds per bucket were used for each treatment. Viable seeds determined by floatation method were subjected to pre-treatments using control, 98% Sulphuric acid, wet heat(boiled or hot water)and physical abrasion for 1,2 and 3 minutes. Results shows that 3 minutes physical scarification (56%)was most efficient with mean emergent time of 7.3 days. Control treatment gave 34% and mean emergent time of 8.4 days. Thus 3 minutes physical scarification pre-treatment with 56% emergence is recommended for the propagation of Dichrostachys cinerea.