Germination, Dormancy And Control Of Phytolymalata In Early Seedling Growth Of Milicia Excelsa (Welw.) C.C. Berg.

ABSTRACT

Some of the emergent timber yielding tree species such as Milicia excelsa could flower once within 15 months. Fruits of most emergent tree species such as it excelsahave poor dispersal appendages (Dike, 2003). The viability of these seeds are poorly recorded. According to White (1964); Cobbinah, (1990), seedlings and saplings of it'! excelsa are seriously attacked by Phytolyma lata. Inversely, one could see few stands of M excelsa, but a plantation of M excelsa is rarely seen anywhere in Nigeria. According to Dike (1992, 2003) few seeds that germinated in a tree fall gap could develop depending on the part of gap the M excelsa seeds germinated. Presently, there is no assured method of naturally regenerating the rainforest of Nigeria. There is therefore, he need to study the viability, dormancy and early seedling growth of it'! excelsa as its establishment in plantations is severely restricted by its susceptibility to attacks by the gall forming insect Phytolyma Iata.