Effects of Different Temperatures and Duration of Storage on the Viability of Dioscoreophyllum CumminsiI

Abstract

Germination of Dioscoreophyllum cumminsii seeds stored under different temperatures in cold room, refrigerator, air conditioned room and laboratory temperature was examined. The seeds are collected for germination every month for six months. The seeds stored in cold room and laboratory had zero germination throughout the storage period while the seeds stored in the refrigerator had 10% and 40% germination after storing for three and four months respectively. The seeds stored in the air conditioned room germinated but the germination reduced with the increase in the duration of storage. While 60% of the seeds germinated after one month of storage, 40% and 30% germinated after two and three months of storage respectively. The seeds collected after four and five months of storage had the same germination percentage of 10% while there was zero germination when planted after six months of storage.