| dc.description.abstract | INTRODUCTION. Kayu Afrika (Maesopsis eminii Engl.) is categorized as fast growing and exotic species in Indonesia. The use of Kayu Afrika were for light construction, packaging, boxes, and even for ply wood raw materials. In terms of its potensial, Kayu Afrika has good prospect to be developed for plantation forest. For the planting of this species, there is a need for high quality seeds with high vigor and germination capacity. Seeds of Kayu Afrika have strong dormancy feature due to their hard and thick seed coat. The breaking of the such dormancy needs a certain treatment to the seed. Research concerning the effect of pretreatment on germination of Kayu Afrika seeds has ever been conducted, but it had not been fully able to break the dormancy of the seeds. Seed size has some correlation with vigor. The relatively heavy seeds are preferable due to its general relation with germination quality. MATERIALS AND METHOD. This research consisted of two experiments designed as Completely Randomized Experimental Design. The first experiment comprised the factor of seed pretreatment, consisting of 12 treatments, namely soaking in coconut water for 1,2 and 3 hours; water for 24, 48 and 72 hours; H2SO4 1% for 10, 20 and 30 minutes; and KNO3 0.2% for 15, 30 and 45 minutes. The second experiment comprised the factor of seed weight, consisting of 3 treatments, namely the use of heavy seeds (≥ 1.50 gram), moderate seeds (1.25-1.50 gram) and light seeds (≤1.25 gram). Variables observed for each experiment were germination capacity, growth speed and germination value. For learning the effect of treatments on the observed variables, Analysis of Variance was performed. If the treatment showed significant effect, further Duncan test were performed to test the differences between means. The obtained data were analyzed with the aid of SPSS program version 12.0. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. Seed moisture content of Kayu Afrika during this research ranged between 15.75%-16.95%. Weight of 1000 seeds ranged between 1378.7-1436.3 gram, and number of seeds/kg ranged between 696-725 seeds/kg. Research results showed that seed pretreatments of soaking in coconut water for 1,2 and 3 hours; water for 24, 48 and 72 hours; H2SO4 1% for 10, 20 and 30 minutes; and KNO3 0.2% for 15, 30 and 45 minutes had significant effect on germination capacity, and growth speed of Kayu Afrika seeds, howefer, they did not have significant effect on germination value of Kayu Afrika seeds. Similarly, seed weight did not have significant effect on germination capacity, growth speed and germination value of Kayu Afrika seeds. CONCLUSION. All pretreatments of soaking in coconut water, water, H2SO4 1% and KNO3 0,2% were able to increase seed germination capacity of Kayu Afrika from less than 50% to more than 65%. Statistically, soaking in coconut water (1, 2 and 3 hours), water (24 and 72 hours), H2SO4 1% (10, 20 and 30 minutes) and KNO3 0,2% (15, 30 and 45 minutes) did not differ significantly in increasing seed germination capacity and seed growth speed of Kayu Afrika. Howefer, all those treatments differed significantly from treatment of soaking in water for 48 hours. Of all those treatments which did not differ significantly, there was pretreatment which had average values of germination capacity and growth speed which were higher than other treatments, namely soaking in H2SO4 1% for 10 minutes, namely 96.67% and 3.21% KN/etmal respectively. All categories of seed weight of Kayu Afrika could be used for plant propagation purposes. | id |
