Best Pre-Germination Techniques on Spondias mombin Linn. Seeds for Plantation Establishment

Hog plum (Spondias mombin L.) seeds exhibit physical innate dormancy due to its hard seed coat. In order to determine the best method of germinating the seed of this important fruit tree, its seeds were subjected to seven pre-germination treatments which include; soaking of seeds in 60% concentrated tetraoxosulphate (VI) acid (H SO ) for 5 and 10 minutes, soaking in cold water, hot water and scarification using 24 sandpaper. Seed germination was monitored for 8 weeks (56 days). Seeds scarified with sandpaper at the micropyle had the highest germination percentage of 70%, while those seeds that were not treated at all had 45% germination. The result showed significant difference (P= 0.05) among the treatments used. It therefore revealed that, the best pre-germination treatment for S. mombin seeds is sandpaper scarification at both distal end and at the micropyle.