Search

Propagation of the medicinal and pesticidal tree, Bobgunnia madagascarensis is difficult due to poor and erratic germination of its seeds and slow growth of its seedlings. This study involved two separate experiments. The first evaluated the effect of pre-sowing treatments and growing medium on ex vitro seed germination and early seedling development. The second experiment involved in vitro germination, shoot initiation and rooting of shoots. Pre-sowing seed treatments involved soaking seeds in cold and hot water for 12 and 24 h and soaking in different concentrations (0, 100, 200, 400 and 800 mg/l) of gibberellic acid for 24 h. Soaking of seeds in cold or hot water for up to 24 h did not achieve more than 45% germination, while seeds treated with gibberellic acid achieved 76%) when seeds were sown in a growing medium without compost compared with a medium with compost (