Bc. Lynes et Sd. Campbell, Germination and viability of mesquite (Prosopis pallida) seed following ingestion and excretion by feral pigs (Sus scrofa), TROP GRASSL, 34(2), 2000, pp. 125-128
A study in northern Queensland aimed to determine if feral pigs disperse vi
able seeds of the invasive woody weed, Prosopis pallida. Thirty-eight dung
samples were collected, 19 from within a dense P. pallida infestation and 1
9 from an adjacent area that had been mechanically cleared of P. pallida. A
il seeds were removed from the dung and undamaged seed tested for germinati
on and viability. Mean (+/- s.e.) dry weight of collected dung samples aver
aged 51.1 (+/- 2.9)g, with no difference between infested and cleared sites
. Visual estimation of the contents of these samples showed that P. pallida
seed pods were the major component of the dung, averaging 69 (+/- 4)% from
samples collected within dense infestation and 57 (+/- 4)% for those from
the adjacent area. Fifty-eight % and 42% of the pig dung samples collected
from within and adjacent to the infestation, respectively, contained viable
seed. No significant difference (P>0.05) was found between the number of v
iable seeds present in dung samples from the two areas; an average of 2.4 s
eeds per sample was recorded with a range of 0-19. The germinability of thi
s seed was high, with 70% of all viable seed germinating within 21 days and
the remainder germinating immediately after scarification.