The Effect of Difference Soaking Duration and GA3 Concentration on Germination of oil Palm (Elaeis Guineensis Jacq)

Abstract

One of the main oil palm seed dormancy factors is the shell thickness. This could influence the germination homogeneity and required more time for oil palm seeds to germinate evenly. There will be such alternatives to improve oil palm seed germination as shell-less oil palm seeds or kernels which were soaked at different duration time and GA3 concentration. The objectives of this research was to evaluate germination rate of kernels under different soaking time and GA3 concentration. This study was conducted on Laboratory Plants Seed and Breeding, College of Agriculture, University of Lampung from June 2019 to September 2019. Treatment was arranged by factorial (6x3) in a randomized completely block design (RCBD) with 3 replications. The first factors were the six different concentrations of GA3 hormones as 0, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 ppm. The second factors were the three different soaking duration as 3, 7, and 10 days. The variables observed were the percentage of germination, the maximum growth potential, early time of germination, germination rate, dormancy intensity, radicle and plumule lengths. The data were analyzed by analysis of variance and then different mean values of treatments were analyzed by 5% of LSD using the SAS software application (version 9.4). The results showed that the concentration of 200 ppm GA3 resulting in low dormancy intensity (12.22%), increasing potency maximum growth (87.78%), and kernels germination rate (8.44%/etmal) compared with a concentration of 0 ppm GA3. Soaking duration of GA3 10 days resulted in low dormancy intensity (17.22%), the percentage of germination increased (23.33%), the maximum growth potential increased (78.89%), the kernel germination rate (8.94%/etmal), radicle length (2.00cm), plumule length (1.92cm), and early time of germination (4.61days) compared to the length of soaking duration of 3 days.