Evaluation of Viability, Vigor, and Early Seedling Growth of Mango (Mangifera indica L.) from Polyembryonic and Zygotic Seeds

Authors

  • Stanley A. F. Walingkas Universitas Sam Ratulangi Manado
  • Pemmy Tumewu Sam Ratulangi University
  • Meity R. Rantung Sam Ratulangi University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35791/jat.v6i2.58465

Keywords:

polyembryony, Mangifera indica, zygotic seedlings, seed viability, seed vigor, mean germination time, early seedling growth, leaf area, root biomass, nursery performance

Abstract

Polyembryony in mango offers a potential route to produce uniform planting material, yet its practical value relative to zygotic seed sources requires empirical evidence. This study assessed whether polyembryonic seeds can serve as reliable sources of seedlings and examined how embryo origin and seed integrity affect early growth. The research was conducted for eight months in Eris Village and in the Plant Science Laboratory and shade house. A randomized complete block design with five treatments and four replications was used, comprising whole zygotic seeds that produced a single seedling (Z1), whole polyembryonic seeds that produced two and three seedlings (U2, U3), and split polyembryonic seeds yielding two and three seedlings (B2, B3). Viability exceeded eighty five percent for the zygotic lot and for the intact polyembryonic lots, and mean germination time was 3.243 days, which together indicate good physiological quality. Analysis of variance detected no significant differences among treatments for plant height, leaf number, and stem diameter, which shows that early vegetative growth was broadly comparable regardless of seed origin. Root weight differed at the five percent level, with Z1 and U2 forming a higher group than U3, B2, and B3, while leaf area varied descriptively and tended to be greater in intact seed treatments without confirmed statistical separation. Visual records of germination, seedling morphology, and nursery beds supported these findings. Overall, polyembryonic seeds, whether used intact or split, produced seedlings whose early performance matched that of zygotic seedlings, which supports their use as feasible sources of planting material under the conditions of this study, while highlighting a possible advantage in belowground biomass for some intact treatments.

Keywords : polyembryony, Mangifera indica, zygotic seedlings, nucellar seedlings, seed viability, seed vigor, mean germination time, early seedling growth, leaf area, root biomass, nursery performance

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Published

2025-10-29

How to Cite

Walingkas, S. A. F., Tumewu, P., & Rantung, M. R. (2025). Evaluation of Viability, Vigor, and Early Seedling Growth of Mango (Mangifera indica L.) from Polyembryonic and Zygotic Seeds . Jurnal Agroekoteknologi Terapan (Applied Agroecotechnology Journal), 6(2), 311–324. https://doi.org/10.35791/jat.v6i2.58465

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