Viability and germination capacities of Saba senegalensis (A. DC.) Pichon seeds, a multi-purpose agroforestry species in West Africa

Abstract

Saba senegalensis (A. DC.) Pichon is a woody liana of the Apocynaceae family native to sub-Saharan Africa. The species is known as a useful food wild crop with a high potential to contribute to soil and water conservation. However, little is documented about the variation among the species’ provenances and seeds germination. Such baseline information is needed to initiate S. senegalensis breeding, domestication and conservation programs. The present study aimed to evaluate the inter-provenance variation and effects of storage duration and conditions on seeds viability. The experimental trial used de-pulped and not de-pulped seeds from nine provenances stored in both ambient room and refrigeration at 5°C conditions. Germination parameters were calculated and subjected to analysis of variance. Seeds sown with pulp did not germinate at all, while de-pulped seed germination rates ranged from 59% to 92% according to provenances with a mean value of 77 ± 16.87 %. Moreover, storing fruits in a refrigerator helped to maintain the seeds germination capacity and viability, until 3 months. Further investigations are needed to understand the potential interaction between length of seeds storage time and provenances with regard to germination parameters.

Keywords

• cold storage
• ambient room conditions storage
• germination
• pre-treatment
• provenances
• seed longevity