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† Corresponding author 
© 2015 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

 

HOT WATER ENHANCED GERMINATION OF LEUCAENA LEUCOCEPHALA 

SEEDS IN LIGHT AND DARK CONDITIONS 

 

C. C. Obiazi1 
1Accademic Staff, Department of Agronomy, Delta State University, Asaba Campus, Asaba, Nigeria 

 

ABSTRACT 

Leucaena leucocephala has a great potential in crop and livestock production.  However, the plant is 

difficult to propagate from both seeds and stem cuttings Scarification treatment has the prospective of 

enhancing seed germination.  Chemicals and water have been used for seed scarification.  This study 

evaluated the effectiveness of   hot and boiling water in enhancing the germination of Leucaena leucocephala 

seed. Information on the condition (light or dark) at which   Leucaeana seeds   germinate better is also 

provided. The seeds were immersed in hot water and boiling water for 1, 2, 3, and 4 minutes respectively. 

At twenty-one days after the set-up of the experiment, untreated L. leucocephala seeds had 0 % and 13.3 % 

germinations under light and dark conditions respectively.; seeds immersed in boiling water for 1- 4 

minutes did not germinate irrespective of the condition of germination while all the seeds immersed in hot 

water for one to three minutes had total (100%) germination; delaying the period of immersing the seeds in 

hot water to four minutes resulted in significantly less percentage germination than the aforementioned ones 

immersed in hot water for one to three minutes but had significantly greater germination than the untreated 

seeds. Dark and light conditions resulted in similar percentage seed germination outcome. Immersing 

Leucaena leucocephala seeds for one minute is recommended. Planting seeds in dark condition is 

recommended since continuous light provided no additional germination outcome, in spite of the additional 

cost of providing continuous light in the growth of seeds under light condition.  

Keywords: Leucaena leucocephala, Seed scarification, Seed germination, Hot water, Boiling water. 

 

1. INTRODUCTION 

Leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala) has great potential in crop production as well as in livestock 

production. Kang [1] reported that in a long-term trial conducted on non-acid soil in southern 

Nigeria, high maize yield was obtained with or without nitrogen application when mulched with 

L. leucocephala pruning. Getahun and Njenga [2] also noted that in Kenya, farmers who grow 

yams have discovered the usefulness of L. leucocephala and have started growing it as a source of 

living stakes. Obiazi [3] observed that if yam stakes are produced on the farm, it will be a 

Current Research in Agricultural Sciences 
2015 Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 67-72 
ISSN(e): 2312-6418 
ISSN(p): 2313-3716 
DOI: 10.18488/journal.68/2015.2.2/68.2.67.72 
© 2015 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

 
 
 
 
 

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Current Research in Agricultural Sciences, 2015, 2(2):67-72 

 

 

68 
© 2015 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

guaranteed source of cheap yam stakes and that pruning derived from yam stakes are sources of 

organic material in farm, leading to improved soil fertility, and reducing the need for fertilizer, 

thereby minimizing the cost of production. It should be noted that L. leucocephala being a fast 

growing tree legume could be used as a windbreak to protect crops like plantain and banana 

which suffer much damage from wind. In livestock production, Leucaena is a source of high 

quality nutrients for ruminants and suitable as year round feed because of its drought resistance, 

persistence, vigorous growth and re-growth and palatability [4]. It has high protein of high 

digestibility and is also high in minerals and vitamins [5, 6].  

Despite the usefulness of Leucaena leucocephala, the plant is difficult to propagate; attempts at 

using the seeds result in poor and non-uniform germination, the stem cuttings also give poor 

sprouting. This study was carried out to evaluate the influence of hot and boiling water as well as 

photoperiod on seed scarification and germination in Leucaena leucocephala.   . 

 

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS 

An experiment to investigate the germination response of Leucaena leucocephala seeds to hot   

water treatments was carried out in the rainforest ecological zone, Abraka (05º 47´ N, 06º 06´ E), 

Southern Nigeria. Dry pods of L. leucaena were collected from plants located in Abraka, Nigeria. 

Fifty randomly selected pods were opened and the seed distributions range 14 – 20 seeds per pod. 

The seeds were kept in a dry container after removing the dead and malformed ones. The seeds 

were divided into nine groups. Four groups of seeds were soaked in hot water for 1, 2, 3 and 4 

minutes respectively and another set boiled at 1000 C for 1, 2, 3 and 4 minutes respectively. 

Treated seeds were brought out of hot or boiling water at the expiration of the required time and 

allowed to cool at room temperature before being put out for germination. One group of seeds 

was untreated and served as control. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block 

design.  

Ten seeds of each treatment and the control were placed in two Petri dishes at five seeds per 

dish. Three blotting papers were placed in the floor of each Petri dish and were kept wet 

throughout the experiment. One set of each treatment was placed under continuous fluorescent 

light; the other set was placed under complete darkness in boxes. This process was repeated three 

times.. Emergence of 1.00 mm of ridicule was used as criterion for germination as was used by 

Gill, et al. [7]. Radicule emergence is widely accepted as an indication that germination has 

begun [8]. Count for germination was made after three days until 21 days after set up. Data 

obtained with respect to germination performance of the treatments were subjected to analysis of 

variance and treatment means separated using Duncan’s multiple range tests. 

 

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 

3.1. Effect of Boiling Water on Seed Germination 

The contents in the Table 1 has clearly shown that exposure of Leucaena seed to boiling 

water  



Current Research in Agricultural Sciences, 2015, 2(2):67-72 

 

 

69 
© 2015 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

from 1 – 4 minutes did not aid germination. Immersing Leucaena leucocephala seeds in boiling 

water did not result in germination irrespective of the time duration of one to four minutes and 

the condition of germination (continuous light or continuous darkness) (Table 1). Gill, et al. [7] 

observed that Mimosa pigra boiled for 4 and 5 minutes did not germinate while those boiled for 1 

and 2 minutes resulted in 40% and 35% germination respectively after 21 days. They added that 

boiling for one minute resulted in 46% germination in dark condition. The 0% germination of L. 

leucocephala seeds subjected to 1-4 minutes boiling water in this study could be attributed to high 

level of heat transmission from the boiling water through the seed testa to the cotyledon and the 

embryo. The embryo may have been destroyed and enzymes in the seed denatured. When hot 

water-treating vegetable seeds it is critical to follow the instructions exactly, as seeds may be 

damaged by the treatment [9]. Research has equally shown that hot-water treatment can 

penetrate the seed sufficiently to eradicate bacterial infections inside the seed. There are only a 

few seed companies that routinely do hot-water treatment of some seeds, peppers for instance are 

considered fragile since there is risk that germination will be reduced if the water gets too hot. 

Thus, some varieties or seed lots are more vulnerable to heat treatment than others [10].   

 

Table-1. Effect of boiling water exposure on seed germination in   Leucaena leucocephala 

Treatment Cond.* of Germination %  (Days After Treatment) 

duration Germ. ** 3  6  9  12  15     18     21  

Control Light 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
Control Dark 0 6.7 6.7 13.3 13.3 13.3 13.3 
1M Light 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
1 M Dark 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
2 M Light 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

2 M Dark 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
3 M Light 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
3 M Dark 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
4 M Light 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
4 M Dark 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

           Cond.* = Condition, Germ. ** = Germination, M = Minute (s). 

 

3.2. Effect of Hot Water on Seed Germination 

Seeds immersed in hot water for one minute irrespective of light condition attained 100.0 % 

germination significantly earlier than that observed in any of the other treatments; seeds 

immersed in hot water for one minute germinated six days earlier than seeds immersed in hot 

water for two or three minutes which were germinated under dark condition (Table 2). At 

twenty-one days after treatment all the seeds which were immersed in hot water for one to three 

minutes had total germination. Seeds immersed in hot water for four minutes at twenty-one days 

after treatment had significantly less germination than the other treated seed but had 

significantly greater germination than the untreated seeds.  

 

 

 



Current Research in Agricultural Sciences, 2015, 2(2):67-72 

 

 

70 
© 2015 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

Table-2. Effect of immersing Leucaena leucocephala seeds in hot water for different time durations on seed germination 

Treatment Cond* of Germination %  (Days After Treatment) 

duration Germination 3 6 9  12  15     18     21  

Control light 0.0 c 0.0 d 0.0 d 0.0 e 0.0 e 0.0 e 0.0 c 
Control Dark 6.7 b 6.7 d 13.3 d 13.3 d 13.3 e 13.3 d 13.3 d 
1M Light 20.0 a b 40.0 b 73.3 bc 100.0 a 100.0 a 100.0 a 100.0 a 
1M Dark 33.3 a 66.7 a 93.3 a 100.0 a 100.0 a 100.0 a 100.0 a 
2M Light 6.7 b 20.0 c  66.7 bc 66.7 c 66.7 c 80.0 b 100.0 a 

2M Dark 33.3 a 40.0 a 73.3 bc 80.0 b 80.0 b 100.0 a 100.0 a 
3M Light 0.0 c 6.7 d 20.0 c 33.3 d 66.7 c 80.0 b 100.0 a 
3M Dark 33.3 a 40.0 b 66.7 b c 66.7 c 80.0 b 100.0 a 100.0 a 
4M Light 20.0 a b 26.7 c 66.7 b c 66.7 c 66.7 c 66.7 c 66.7 c 
4M Dark 20.0 a b 40.0 b 80.0 ab 80.0 b 80.0 b 80.0 b 80.0 b 

Means  15.3  28.7 55.3 60.7 65.3 72.0 76.0 

Means within a column followed by the same letter(s) do not differ significantly at 5% level of probability.  

Cond.* = Condition, Germ. ** = Germination, M+ = Minute (s). 

 

3.3. Effect of Duration in Hot Water on Seed Germination 

Placement of seeds in hot water for one minute under dark condition was consistently among 

treatments that gave significantly (P>0.05) best percentage germination. Only one minute seed 

immersions in hot water under dark or light condition were observed to have attained 100% 

germination at 12 days after planting (DAP). Six days later (18 DAP) two and three minutes 

treatments under dark condition attained 100% seed germination. Four minutes treatment only 

attained 66.7% and 80% germination at 21 DAP under dark and light conditions respectively.  

At 6 DAP, dark condition treatments recorded their significantly greater germination % than 

their respective light conditions (Table 2); this same trend was repeated at 9 DAP for 1, 3 and 4 

minutes treatments. This was the general trend in this study. Larger difference was observed 

between light and dark conditions in the germination of Mimosa pigra, using 70% HNO3 for 20 

minutes, it resulted in 58% and 38% germination in light and dark respectively [7]. Some seeds 

either require light for germination or germinate better in light, while others are insensitive to 

light. For instance, seeds of Rottboelia cochinchinensis germinate better in light than in darkness 

[8]. 

 

Bars with similar letters are not significantly different at 5 % level of probability. 

Fig-1. Percentage germination of Leucaena leuccocehala seeds as influenced by the duration of treatment in hot water 

twenty-one days after treatment set up. 



Current Research in Agricultural Sciences, 2015, 2(2):67-72 

 

 

71 
© 2015 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

Duration of hot water treatment had significant effect on the germination of Leucaena seeds 

(Figure 1). The treated seeds had significantly greater seed germination than the untreated seeds; 

untreated seeds had mean germination of 6.65 %, while the seeds that were immersed in hot water 

for one, two and three minutes respectively had 100 % seed germination at 21 days after set up; 

seeds treated for four minutes had significantly less average germination of 73.3 %, but were 

significantly greater than what was observed with the untreated seeds.  

Hot water treatments for 2 and 3 minutes must have destroyed more of the seed testa with 

insignificant injury to the seed embryo; these particular treatments had 100% germination (Table 

2). The heat transmitted through the testa to the cotyledon and the embryo when the seeds were 

immersed in hot water for four minutes must have caused injury to the embryo of some of the 

seeds resulting in 33.3% and 20% loss in germination under light and dark conditions 

respectively, relative to seeds which received hot water treatment for one to three minutes which 

had 100% germination. 

 

3. 4. Effect of Light Condition on Seed Germination 

Untreated seeds (control) under continuous light did not germinate (Table 1). Untreated 

seeds (control) placed under dark condition had 6.7% germination six days after set up; 12 days 

after set up the percentage germination double (13.3%) thereafter there was no additional 

germination in the untreated seeds under dark condition.  Dark and light environment did not 

affect the percentage germination of treated Leucaena seeds differently (Fig. 2).  Equally 

comparable are the percentage germination in dark and light conditions for the untreated seeds. 

However the treated seeds had significantly greater germination than the untreated seeds right 

from three days after treatment up till 21 days after set up. Treated seeds had an average of 95 % 

seed germination at 21 days after set up in dark and light conditions.  

 

b b b bbbb

bbbb

bb
a

a

a

a

a

a

a

a

a
a

a

a

a

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

3 DAYS 6 DAYS 9 DAYS 12 DAYS 15 DAYS 18 DAYS 21 DAYS

TIME AFTER TREATMENT

%
 G

E
R

M
IN

A
TI

O
N

Untreated light condition Untreated dark condition

Hot water light condition Hot water dark condition
 

Fig-2. Germination of Leucaena leuccocehala seeds as influenced by light condition and hot water treatments. 

 

 



Current Research in Agricultural Sciences, 2015, 2(2):67-72 

 

 

72 
© 2015 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

4. CONCLUSION 

Dark and light environments did not affect the percentage germination of treated Leaucaena 

seeds in different ways. Planting seeds in dark condition is recommended since it is cost effective 

relative to a situation where continuous light is provided with no additional germination outcome.  

The results obtained from this study show that dipping L. leucocephala seeds in boiling water for 

one or more minutes did not result in any germination. Further studies should be carried out on 

Leucaena seed immersion in boiling water for different time durations of less than one minute. 

Immersing leucaena seeds in hot water for 1-3 minutes had similar (100 %) germination at 21days 

after planting. One to three minutes Leucaena leucocephala seeds exposure to hot water treatment 

is recommended for enhanced germination. Use of water in the scarification of seeds is both safe 

and sustainable; farmers can easily afford and adopt the technology. This method of seed 

scarification is also handy in organic agriculture. 

 

REFERENCES 

[1] B. T. Kang, Sustainable agroforestry system for the tropics: Concepts and examples IITA research guide 26. Training 

program. Ibadan, Nigeria: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), 1993. 

[2] A. Getahun and A. Njenga, "Living stakes. Kenyan farmers introduce an agroforestry technology," Agroforestry 

Today, vol. 2, p. 2, 1990. 

[3] C. C. Obiazi, "Sustainable supply of stakes for yam production," Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, vol. 5, pp. 

133-138, 1995. 

[4] L. Reynolds and A. N. Atta-Krah, "Alley farming with livestock," presented at the Paper Presented at the 

International Workshop on Alley-Farming for Humid and Sub-humid Regions of Tropical Africa, IITA, 

Ibadan, Nigeria, 1986. 

[5] R. J. Jones, "The value of Leucaena leucocephala in the tropics," World Animal Review, vol. 31, pp. 12-23, 1979. 

[6] O. B. Smith and M. F. Van Houtert, "The feeding value of gliricidia - a review," World Animal Review, vol. 62, 

pp. 57-68, 1988. 

[7] L. S. Gill, H. I. Onyibe, and A. E. Evive, "Germination biology of Mimosa pigra (Leguminosae)," Nigerian 

Journal of Weed Science, vol. 3, pp. 11-18, 1990. 

[8] I. O. Akobundu, Weed science in the tropics: Principle and practices. New York: John Wiley and Sons Inc, 1987. 

[9] S. A. Miller and M. L. L. Ivey, "Hot water treatment of vegetable seeds to eradicate bacterial plant pathogens 

in organic production systems. Ohio State University extension’s web site Ohioline," p. 3. Available: 

http://ohioline.osu.edudownloadedon31/07/2014.3pp. [Accessed 31/07/2014], 2014. 

[10] USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), "Hot water treatment of seed. Hot water treatment of seed _ 

UMass amherst vegetable program.htm," The College of Natural Sciences, p. 1, 2014. 

 

 

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