Germination and growth performance of Kola (Cola nitida) seeds in the nursery as influenced by cotyledon reduction

Propagation of kola involves the use of kolanuts (seed) which is also the most economically valuable part of the crop. White, pink and red-coloured kolanuts were treated by reducing the cotyledons by 25, 50 and 75%; whole kolanuts acted as the control. Treated and whole kolanuts were germinated in a screen-house at Abeokuta, Nigeria. Percentage germination of the kolanuts and growth performance of the seedlings (height and number of leaves) were recorded. Kolanuts from all treatments completed germination at 11 weeks after sowing (WAS). White kolanuts with 25, 50 and 75% cotyledon reduction had high germination (87.5-91.7%) at 7 WAS; the other treatments had between 58.3 and 75% germination after the same period. The height and number of leaves of the seedlings raised from kolanuts with 50 or 25% cotyledon reduction were significantly higher when compared with values obtained from whole kolanuts or from those with 75% cotyledon reduction. Hence, 50% reduction in cotyledon is recommended for kolanut as propagules for large scale production of kola seedlings.