Abstract
The effects of watering regimes on germination and early seedling development of D. cumminsii were examined in this study. 100 fresh seeds were selected and divided into five groups. Each group was sown separately in weathered sawdust filled into plastic germination trays. These were subjected to five watering regimes, viz: watering with 25ml per week (control), watering once weekly with 50ml, watering twice weekly with 50ml, watering weekly with 100ml, and watering twice weekly with 100ml. Germination was observed and recorded for two months. Also, seedlings raised from previous experiment were pricked into polythene pots filled with nursery topsoil. A total of 25 seedlings were selected and divided into five groups and subjected to five different watering regimes viz: no watering (control), watering weekly with 50ml, watering twice weekly with 50ml, watering once weekly with 100ml and watering twice weekly with 100ml. The experiment was replicated three times. The seedlings were allowed to stabilize for two weeks after which growth assessment commenced and were carried out for three months. Parameters assessed were plant height, leaf production per seedling, stem girth, and leaf area. Results obtained revealed that the highest germination % was observed in seedlings watered with 50ml water twice in a week. Similarly, results from the growth parameters revealed that seedlings watered with 100mls twice per week thus justifying the occurrence of D. cumminsii in the rain forest vegetation.

Keywords
Watering regime, Germination, Seedling development, Dioscoreophyllum cumminsii

Cite this paper
Tolulope Olaseeni Bamigboye, Joshua Kayode, Effects of Watering Regimes on Germination and Early Seedling Development of Dioscoreophyllum cumminsii , SCIREA Journal of Biology. Volume 3, Issue 1, February 2018 | PP. 15-25.

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