Effect of seed pre-treatment and its duration on germination of Detarium microcarpum (Guill. and Perr.)

Detarium microcarpum Guill and Perr is a multipurpose tree species indigenous to semi-arid regions of Sub-Saharan Africa.  It is being exploited to local extinction due to high dependence for fuelwood and other uses. The present study explored different pre-treatment methods for enhancing seed germination and growth of D. microcarpum in the Guinea savanna zone of Ghana.  The experiment employed a 4 × 4 factorial design with seeds subjected to four pre-treatments (50% sulphuric acid concentration, 98% sulphuric acid concentration, cold water and hot water) at four pre-treatment time durations. Percentage germination varied significantly between pre-treatments (p < 0.05) with cold water treatment recording the highest mean germination (73.06%) and the 98% sulphuric acid concentration recording the least (47.72%). Germination rate had a moderate positive relationship with plant height (rxy = 0.49) and collar diameter (rxy = 0.54). The study recommends seed immersion in cold water for 48 h as the most efficient pre-treatment for D. microcarpum.   Key words: Detarium microcarpum, germination percentage, plant height, pre-treatment.