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Dennettia tripetala, an important medicinal and socio-cultural fruit crop in Nigeria has germination and early growth problems. This study set out to investigate fruit ripeness status and appropriate growing environment for raising it. The study was carried out in the nursery and laid out in completely randomized design (CRD) pattern with four treatments, each having four replicates and 20 seeds. The treatments were ripe netted (RN) ripe un-netted (RU), un-ripe netted (UN) and unripe un-netted (UU). Temperature and humidity values were recorded in and outside the net, germination and early growth data taken. Data subjected to evaluation by percentages, analysis of variance and treatment means separated using least significant difference (LSD) at 5% level of probability. The UU seeds germinated in 26 days, UN (33 days), RU (26.5 days) and RN (31 days). Germination rate was moderate for both ripe and unripe. Percentages were 56, 53, 60 and 65 for UU, UN, RN and RU respectively. At termination, seedling heights were 6.6 cm (UN), 6.3 cm (UU), 44.7 (UN), 27.4 (RU) and 43.1 (RN) leaf of seedlings in the open were eaten by small animals. Seedling growth was significantly better under netting irrespective of seed ripeness status. Both unripe and ripe fruit seeds could be sown but netting must be provided to enhance seedling growth and survival. Further research is needed in aspects of best sowing time, depth of sowing, cotyledon fullness, watering regimes and response of seedlings to fertilizer application.

Keywords: Dennettia tripetala, fruit, germination, netting, ripeness.

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Citation: Oboho EG, Ogedegbe SA, Taiwo OP (2015). Effect of fruit ripeness status and netting on the germination and early growth of Dennettia tripetala G. Baker seedlings. J. Agric. Crop Res. 3(8): 123-129.