Effects of Desiccation and Post-Harvest Treatments on the Germinability of Threatened Timber Species: Afzelia africana SM. and Chrysophyllum albidum Linn

Deforestation, biodiversity loss, and increasing demand for timber have intensified interest in cultivating high-value cabinet timber species in the tropics. This study examined the effects of desiccation and post-harvest treatments on the germinability of two rainforest species: Afzelia africana Sm. and Chrysophyllum albidum Linn. Data collected included seed germinability and electrolyte leakage (conductivity) to assess membrane integrity. A completely randomized design was used, with data collected in triplicate and analyzed using SPSS (version 2.0). In A. africana, an initial desiccation period (0–15 days) significantly (P ≤ 0.05) enhanced germinability, which remained relatively high (60%) even at low moisture content (4.03%). Conversely, over 50% of C. albidum seeds lost viability below 34% moisture, with complete loss at 27.63%. Electrolyte leakage decreased significantly in A. africana but increased in C. albidum with desiccation. Nicking of A. africana seeds did not improve germinability initially but was beneficial in later desiccation stages. However, nicking had no effect on the recalcitrant seeds of C. albidum. These results indicate that A. africana possesses orthodox seed characteristics, while C. albidum exhibits recalcitrant seed behaviour. This information is crucial for developing propagation and conservation strategies for these economically and ecologically valuable timber species. Key words: Desiccation, Germinability, Nicking