Effect of Gibberellic Acid and Substrates On Seed Germination and Growth Parameters of Christmas Palm (Adonidia merrilli Becc.)

Palms are important landscape ornamentals throughout the tropics, and are increasingly used as components of elaborate interiorscapes within malls and office buildings as well as exteriorscapes in home gardens and public gardens. Palms are usually propagated by seeds but germination of seeds for many species is often slow and erratic and germination percentage can be very low. Most of palm seeds germinate best if they were treated with Gibberellic acid and maintained in a good porous and nutritious substrate. This treatment also plays an important role in the vegetative growth of the seedlings.

Keywords: Arecaceae, Gibberellic acid, seedlings, substrates, sexual propagation