GERMINATION ECOLOGY OF 2 ENDEMIC MULTIPURPOSE SPECIES OF ERYTHRINA FROM ETHIOPIA

Erythrina brucei and Erythrina burana are multipurpose trees which are endemic to Ethiopia. Both species, besides serving many purposes, hav e an important advantage in that they can be easily propagated vegetat ively. However, little is known about their propagation by seed. Sever al experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of light, tem perature and scarification on the germination of the seeds. The seeds of both species exhibited dormancy, although to different degrees, cau sed by impermeable hard seed coats. In E. brucei, the highest germinat ion percentage (90%) was obtained from seeds placed under direct light from fluorescent tubes coupled with fluctuating day (20-degrees-C) an d night (10-12-degrees-C) temperatures as well as from seeds treated w ith boiling water for 5 s. Similarly, in E. burana, the highest germin ation percentage (85%) was obtained in seeds placed at a constant temp erature of 25-degrees-C in a thermogradient as well as in seeds treate d with concentrated sulphuric acid for 1 h . Therefore, for a higher r ate and percentage of germination, it is recommended that the seeds of E. brucei be immersed in boiling water for 5 s. However, since the do rmancy of seeds of E. brucei is relatively low, untreated seeds may al so be used to obtain a reasonable cumulative germination percentage (a bout 80%). In the case of E. burana, although a higher percentage and rate of germination can be obtained using sulphuric acid, it is recomm ended that untreated seeds should be used at a higher sowing density t o compensate for the dormancy until a cheap, safe, convenient and rapi d method of germination is found. The further investigation of growth characteristics, reproductive biology/ecology as well as performance i n agroforestry of both species is recommended.