Improving seed germination and seedling growth of some mango rootstocks.
Shaban A. E. A.
Author Affiliation: Department of Pomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
American-Eurasian Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Science 7 : 535-541
Abstract : This experiment was conducted during 2007, 2008 and 2009 years at the nursery of Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Egypt to study the effect of seed husking and soaking in GA3 on germination and vegetative growth parameters of Zebda, Sukkary, Sabre and 13-1 polyembryonic mango rootstocks under nursery conditions. Germination percentage and number of seedlings per seed increased with seed husking and soaking in GA3 at 100 or 200 ppm concentrations for 48 hours. The highest germination percentage and number of seedlings were recorded by Sabre rootstock meanwhile, the lowest was recorded by Sukkary rootstock. Seedling length, seedling diameter, number of leaves per seedling, leaf area and root length of the studied rootstocks were increased with seed husking and GA3 treatments. The highest values of seedling length, diameter, leaf area and number of leaves per seedling were observed by Zebda and the lowest was by 13-1. Zebda, Sukkary and Sabre rootstocks recorded higher values of growth parameters than 13-1 rootstock. Husking mango seeds and soaking them in GA3 prior to sowing improved germination and seedling growth.