Germination of Dracaena cinnabari Balf. f. Seeds under Controlled Temperature Conditions

Abstract

Research highlights: This study is focused on the germination of Dracaena cinnabari seeds in order to discover the possibility of natural and artificial regeneration of this species. Background and Objectives: This study aimed to determine the optimal temperature for D. cinnabari seed germination, e.g., the temperature at which the germination percentage and germination rate (vitality) are the highest. The objectives of this study are to: (1) determine the optimal temperature for the germination of D. cinnabari seeds, (2) compare the suitability of di_erent seed collection methods, and (3) compare the germination parameters of seeds that were collected from di_erent localities. The results of this study will contribute to obtaining the highest number of seedlings from limited seed material for reforestation of the most endangered localities of D. cinnabari species. Materials and methods: Four seed sections were employed. These sections were directly collected from either the fruits of a cut panicle or the ground and were obtained from different localities that differ in altitude. The seeds were tested in a greenhouse while using Petri dishes at three different temperatures-22, 26, and 30 oC-with four replicates of 25 seeds of each section. ANOVA and the t-test were employed for data analysis. Results: The highest germination percentages (GPs) were achieved at 26 oC and 30 oC, which were 84.6% and 82.5%, respectively. The ANOVA and t-test results showed that the germination index (GI) of the species was relatively higher at a temperature of 30 oC relative to that at other temperatures in the study. Although seeds that were collected from the tree achieved a higher GP, the t-test result showed no significant differences in the GI of D. cinnabari seeds that were collected from the ground and from the tree (p > 0.05). Overall, the findings of this study show that temperature has substantial influence on the germination of seeds of D. cinnabari. Therefore, we recommend a temperature of 30 oC to facilitate the germination of D. cinnabari, as it achieved the highest GI at this temperature relative to that at the other temperatures (22 oCC, 26 oC) applied in this study.