ISSN 2756-3650
International Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics Vol. 4 (2), pp. 001-005, February, 2015. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Germinability and seedling vigour of physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.) seeds inoculated with seed-borne fungi
Samuel Toba Anjorin1*, Olushola Ruth Omolewa1 and Ezekiel Adebayo Salako2
1Department of Crop Production, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria.
2Department of Crop Science, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria.
Accepted 07 October, 2014
Abstract
Germinability and seedling vigour of physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.) seeds inoculated with Aspergillus flavus and Rhizopus nigricans were investigated in a germination chamber and in plastic pots in a screen house at Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna. The seeds were pre-inoculated with the fungi for 72 h and 0 h before sowing and compared with those applied with Seedplus® 30WS fungicide. The experiment which involved completely randomised design had eight treatments in three replicates. It was confirmed in the germination chamber that seeds inoculated with A. flavus + R. nigricans for 72 h before sowing had the lowest percentage germination (20%) at 8 DAS while the uninoculated seeds (control) had the highest (87%). In the pot at 20 DAS, seeds applied with combined A. flavus and R. nigricans for 72 h before sowing had the least seedling vigour index (0.38) while the uninoculated control had the highest vigour index (1.89). Though the presence of A. flavus + R. nigricans on physic nut seeds adversely affected germination and seedling vigour, seed-dressing with Seedplus® significantly reduced the pathogenic effect of the fungi. There is need for confirmation of this experiment under field condition in different agroecological conditions.
Key words: Germinability, physic nut, seedling vigour, Aspergillus flavus, Rhizopus nigricans, Seedplus®.