The Effects of Pre-sowing Seed Treatments on Germination of Snake Bean (Swartzia madagascariensis); A Reported Medicinal Plant.

This study was an effort to evaluate easy, appropriate and most effective techniques to improve seed germination of Swartzia madagascariensis. The effect of mechanical scarification, hot water treatments (5, 10, 15 and 20 minutes), dry heat treatments at 60, 80, and 100°C (15, 30 and 60 minutes) and sulphuric acid treatments (5, 10, 15 30, and 60 minutes) were investigated under laboratory conditions. The effects of mechanical scarification, hot water treatments, dry heat treatments and sulphuric acid treatment were significant (p< 0.001). Germination percentage varied among treatments, seeds treated with hot water for 10 minutes had the highest seed germination 86%. Dry heat treatment at 80 for 30 minutes and sulphuric acid treatment for 10 minutes also enhanced germination to 70 and 69% respectively. These results have significant implication on the best methods to be used in improving seed germination of this economically important plant.