Emergence rate of seedlings from hard okra seed coats and seedling growth of some genotypes of West African okra (Abelmoschus caillei)

Abstract

Abstract. In 2017 and 2018 cropping season, field experiment was conducted at the Food and Agricultural Organization and Tree Crop Plantation, Department of Crop Science, Adamawa State University, Mubi using fifteen genotypes of West African okra. The study was undertaken to study the emergence rate of seedlings from hard okra seed coats, seedling growth and their development. The seeds of the genotypes were soaked in NaCl solution for 24 hours to accelerate the breaking of seed dormancy and to ease seed germination. Tough seed coat usually impairs seed germination by establishing a permeability barrier which can interrupt water uptake required for imbibition, radicle and seedling emergence. The combined analysis results revealed a highly significant (P≤0.01) difference among these genotypes with respect to days to first and 50% flowering including days to first harvest. Furthermore, accession 3 (NG/SA/DEC/07/0448) and accession 11 (Yar kwadon) flowered earlier, had shortest days to first harvest, recorded the highest number of seedlings and emergence percentage than the other genotypes studied.