Syzygium guineense
Collecting partner
William Omondi
Kenya Forestry Seed Centre
P.O. Box 20412
Nairobi
Seed source
Voiare
Initial trials
Seed
Embryo
Fruit
Pulp
Weight (g) 1.16
±
0.3 0.006 ± 0.0018 6.16 ± 1.92 5.0 ± 1.62
Mc before processing (%) 45.7 ± 1.7 80.4 ± 2.2 85.4 ± 0.52 85.4 ± 0.52
Initial germination (%)
92
Desiccation trial
Seed 38.6 ± 1.6 28.7 ± 0.8 28.0 ± 1.4 21.6 ± 0.2 14.6 ± 1.3 6.3 ± 0.4
Mc after desiccation (% )
Embryo 66.2 ± 0.4 39.4 ± 1.1 34.3 ± 1.0 27.2 ± 1.1 13.0 ± 0.6 6.3 ± 0.4
Germination (%)
87
76
38
8
0
0
Comments and conclusions
Syzygium guineense seeds are shed at relatively
high moisture contents ,in
this case > 45%, and results indicate that it is at this high mc that germina-
tion is maximum. Any desiccation to lower mc levels has a direct effect on
germination.