Quote:
Erlend,
Tetrazolium tests have been done in the past on Musa seeds that wouldn't germinate, and it was found that well over 90% of the seeds that wouldn't germinate had viable embryos. I must admit, you seem to have more success at germinating Musa seeds than anybody else I know of! I still have yet to germinate one Musa sikkimensis seed. Then I marvel at the picture of your plastic box just full of sedlings recently germinated! Of the 150 seeds I've tried so far, no luck. And I only germinated 1 out of 80 M. 'Helen's Hybrid' seeds, and 1/10 M. 'Daj Giant', both M. sikkimensis hybrids. Whatever you're doing, it seems to be working!
Phil Markey (Trebrown) recommends on the forum on his site to use KNO3 to soften the Musa seed coat. I haven't tried that either, but I do have access to some KNO3 at school. Maybe I'll give it a go.
I've found in my research that it takes quite some time for the Musa seed to become imbibed. I would recommend soaking the seeds for at least a week, preferably two, changing the water frequently. Then after soaking, add the seaweed solution to the mix.
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KNO3 is also known as "Saltpeter", and can be bought at drug-stores in small amounts. (I THINK you can, in these days of terror!) I will definately give Saltpeter a try, since I seem to have misunderstood the results of those tetrazolium-tests. I thought the number was 40% viability for musa acuminata.. But I have had close to 100% germination of musa balbisiana in the past.
Why you are having trouble with germination is a mystery to me. We probably use the same seed-sources, so there must be another environmental factor.
- Do you use peat-based soil with a pH of around 6?
- Do you get the temperatures way low (to the lower 50s) and way high (to the 80s) in 14h-10h intervals?
- Is the medium wet enough? "Damp but not wet" is stated on almost all seed-packages, but this is probably interpreted differently by different people. Without enough water, no life can exist!
I have had satisfactory results with the following species:
Balbisiana
Acuminata
Flaviflora
Sikkimensis
Red tiger
Helen
Formosana
Ornata
Velutina
NagensiumX (whatever that is)
Ensete ventricosum (But sometimes, batches refuse to germinate at all)
I am still having some trouble with:
The legendary "m. Ingens"
Itinerans
Travelers palm
musella lasiocarpa
Erlend