EVALUASI EFEKTIVITAS BERBAGAI METODE SKARIFIKASI TERHADAP PEMATAHAN DORMANSI BENIH MUCUNA BRACTEATA

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Various Scarification Methods on Breaking Seed Dormancy of Mucuna bracteate

Abstrak

Mucuna bracteata is a widely utilized leguminous cover crop (LCC) in oil palm plantations due to its ability to reduce soil erosion, suppress weed growth, and enhance soil organic matter. However, the species exhibits seed dormancy caused by its hard seed coat, which limits germination. Overcoming this dormancy requires specific pre-germination treatments such as scarification. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of different scarification techniques in breaking the seed dormancy of M. bracteata. The experiment was conducted at the UIN Agriculture Research and Development Station (UARDS) Laboratory from January to February 2025 using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four treatments: control (no scarification), cutting, scratching with a cutter, and sanding. Each treatment was replicated four times, with 25 seeds per experimental unit. Parameters observed included germination percentage, vigor index, plant height, number of leaves, fresh weight, and dry weight. The findings revealed that all scarification treatments significantly improved seed germination and growth performance compared to the control.