Abstract

The germination of seed of five Acacia spp. was studied following a manual chipping treatment or exposure to water held at different temperatures for discrete time periods. Response was evaluated on the basis of the final percentage germination, and estimates of rate of germination and time taken for germination to commence.

There were differences in response of the species to hot water sufficiently large to be of practical significance. No single treatment gave optimum germination in all species. Increasing severity of treatment improved germination rate and percentage germination up to a point where seed mortality became apparent.

Manual chipping of the seed gave larger improvements in germination rate, and the seeds began to germinate faster than those given any hot water treatment. However, in some species germination percentages were lower in chipped seeds than in those treated with hot water.