Abstract

Egwu .E.A, Eric Nwachukwu and Emmanuel Ugoh

A study was carried out in 2011 at the Nursery site of the Department of Forestry and Wildlife, Faculty of Agriculture, Delta State University, Asaba Campus, Nigeria to evaluate the seedling emergence of Senna siamea as influenced by crude oil in soil. 0.0, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0, 8.0 and 10.0% (w/w) of the oil constituted treatments 10 seeds were sown in the soil crude oil mixture. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with four replicates. The results showed that contamination of soil with crude oil significantly (P≥0.05) reduced percentage germination, delayed germination by increasing the days to 50% germination and reducing the rate of germination in S siamea when compared with the uncontaminated plots. The effects were generally oil level-dependent. Only two seeds planted in 10.0% (w/w) of soil contaminated germinated while the majority did not sprout. This study has shown that oil in soil has a significant effect of reducing seedling emergence in Senna siamea. This study has a great ecological significance especially in the Niger Delta.