Perspectives in restoration: storage and pretreatments of seeds for better germination of Sudanian savanna-woodland species

Abstract

Insufficient knowledge of the germination
ecology of local species is one of the main constraints to
restoration of degraded rural lands. We tested seeds from
fourteen Sudanian savanna species targeted for restoration
for their response to two different pretreatments (conventional
and prolonged acid pretreatments) and two different
storage conditions (ambient room conditions and refrigerator
at 4 C). For 6 of the studied species, longer soaking in
sulphuric acid significantly improved germination rates and
also reduced the germination time of some species. Storage
condition, in general did not affect germination rates
except for two species where cool storage depressed germination.
The practical implication is that, for the species
tested, when mature seeds are collected for plantation in the upcoming rainy season, there is no need to invest in
infrastructure and energy for storing in cold conditions.
The study also revealed that in general when seeds are
stored in ambient conditions from the time of collection up
to seeding time, although germination rate does not
increase, germination time is shortened and this could be of
great interest in synchronizing germination in real field
conditions