Effects of Sowing Depth and Growing Medium on Emergence and Growth of Golden Palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens) Seedlings

Abstract

Golden Palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens) is an important slow growing but bushy ornamental palm widely used for air purification, indoor and outdoor beautification. Experiment to determine the effects of different sowing depths (2,4,6 and 8 cm) and growing media (topsoil, rice husk and sawdust) on emergence and growth of Chrysalidocarpus lutescens seedlings was conducted at the Horticultural Nursery of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria in 2012 and validated in 2014. Treatments were arranged in Completely Randomized Design and replicated four timess. Data collected on seedling emergence, plant height, number of leaves, number of roots, root length, shoot fresh weight, root fresh weight, shoot dry weight were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA). Treatment means were then seperated at 5% probability level. The study revealed that sowing depth significantly influenced seed germination and seedling emergence (%). Highest percentage of seedling emergence in few days was observed in seeds sown at 2 cm depth than other depth. Effect of different growing media on days to seedling emergence and growth than rice husk or sawdust. It can be concluded that Horticulturist and Nurserymen could improve seedling emergence and growth of Chrysalidocarpus lutescens by sowing at 2 cm depth in topsoil medium.