@article {Shaik:2008:0251-0952:795,
title = "Influences of pre-sowing seed treatments on germination of the cancer bush (Sutherlandia frutescens), a reputed medicinal plant in arid environments",
journal = "Seed Science and Technology",
parent_itemid = "infobike://ista/sst",
publishercode ="ista",
year = "2008",
volume = "36",
number = "3",
publication date ="2008-10-01T00:00:00",
pages = "795-801",
itemtype = "ARTICLE",
issn = "0251-0952",
eissn = "1819-5717",
url = "https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ista/sst/2008/00000036/00000003/art00031",
doi = "doi:10.15258/sst.2008.36.3.31",
author = "Shaik, S. and Dewir, Y.H. and Singh, N. and Nicholas, A.",
abstract = "Cancer bush (Sutherlandia frutescens L.) is a medicinally important perennial legume native to southern Africa. S. frutescens seeds exhibit dormancy like many other legumes. Experiments using physical, mechanical and chemical pre-sowing treatments were conducted to determine
the germination response of this species. Among various treatments, soaking the intact seeds for 30 min in concentrated H2SO4 resulted in a high final germination percentage of 97.5% in day 14 of culture. However, seed dormancy was completely broken by mechanical scarification
in which 100% germination was obtained in day 2 of culture. The results indicated that S. frutescens seeds possess exogenous dormancy due to the hard seed coat which is the main inhibitor of germination.",
}