Note on Effect of Sulfuric Acid on Breaking Seed Dormancy of Least snout Bean (Rynchosia minima L.)

Abstract

Least snout bean (Rynchosia minima L.) is considered a promising rangeland legume fodder for marginal land in Sudan, but its seeds are associated with high dormancy (%). This study was carried out at the Laboratory of the Plant physiology, Department of Botany and Agricultural Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum to investigate the effect of sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) on breaking seeds dormancy of least snout bean. The seeds were soaked in 0, 50, 70, and 100% H₂SO₄ concentrations for 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 minutes. The seeds were germinated in petri dishes and incubated at room temperature for 10 days. The H₂SO₄ concentration and soaking period significantly (P < 0.01) increased seeds germination (%) and decreased mean germination time (MGT). The germination percentage was increased while MGT was decreased by increasing soaking period up to 60 min. The highest germination (%) and lowest MGT were obtained by soaking the seeds in 70 % H₂SO₄ for 60 minutes. The result would be useful for large-scale establishment of least snout bean in natural rangelands.