Determination of seed bank depth and viability of Monodoramyristica at Ohiya in Umuahia South Local Government Area, Abia State, Nigeria
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Abstract
The study on soil seed bank of three stands of Monodoramyristica was carried out at Ohiya in Umuahia South Local Government of Abia State, Nigeria. A 3 x 3 factorial experiment in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three blocks was conducted within three stands of Monodoramyristica located in Ohiya Autonomous Community (as block). The treatment factors were three soil depths and three distances away from the stem base of the trees. Three soil depths (0-5, 5-10 and 10-20 cm) were dug at three separate distances (0, 3, and 7 m) resulting to nine treatments. Soil samples were collected at the various soils depths (0-5cm, 5-10cm, and 10-20cm) along the three distances (0, 3, and 7 m) at four cardinal points from the trunk base of each stand. The soil samples were stored separately in well labeled bags to indicate soil depths and sampling distances. Soil bags from the same soil depth at a particular distance was emptied separately into each aluminum trays and the seeds of Monodoramyristica present in each tray were carefully identified, separated and counted. A viability test was carried out on the seeds. The total number of seeds deposited at the 0-5cm depth at 0m (8.583), 3m (14.250) and 7m (3.000) were significantly higher than those deposited within the 5-10cm (3.333, 5.917 and 0.833) and the 10-20cm depth (0.250, 1.750 and 0.000). Over 70% of the seeds of Monodoramyristica occurred within 0-5 cm depth, 25% was deposited at the 5-10 cm depth while the control had 5% seed occurrence. The highest number of seeds occurred at the distance of 3m while the control (7 m) had the lowest number of seeds. The highest level of interaction between distance and soil depth occurred within the 0-5cm at 3m.The viability test indicates that no germination occurred in any of the seeds planted in the poly-pots. Efforts should be made to collect the viable seeds after shedding from the parent plant so as to enhance easy germination and improve the status of the plant species.
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References
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