Physiological Quality and Early Seedling Growth of Zygotic, Polyembryonic, and Divided Langsat (Lansium domesticum Corr.) Seeds

Exellino Miracle Tulangow; Stanley Adrian F. Walingkas; Edy Fredy Lengkong; Jantje Pongoh; Frangky Jessy Paat

doi:10.35791/jat.v7i2.68033

Authors

Exellino Miracle Tulangow Sam Ratulangi University
Stanley Adrian F. Walingkas Sam Ratulangi University
Edy Fredy Lengkong Sam Ratulangi University
Jantje Pongoh Sam Ratulangi University
Frangky Jessy Paat Sam Ratulangi University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35791/jat.v7i2.68033

Keywords:

Germination, Langsat, Polyembryony, Seed vigor, Zygotic seeds

Abstract

Langsat (Lansium domesticum Corr.) is a tropical fruit species with potential for further cultivation, but the availability of vigorous and uniform seedlings remains limited. Polyembryonic seeds may provide additional planting material because a single seed can contain more than one embryo. This study evaluated the viability, vigor, and early seedling growth of zygotic, polyembryonic, and divided langsat seeds. The experiment was conducted in Minahasa Regency, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, from April to August 2025. A randomized block design was used with five treatments and four replications: intact zygotic seeds with one embryo (Z1), intact polyembryonic seeds with two embryos (P2), intact polyembryonic seeds with three embryos (P3), seeds divided into two sections (B2), and seeds divided into three sections (B3). Each experimental unit consisted of six seedlings, resulting in 120 seedlings in the field experiment. Seed physiological quality was evaluated using germination percentage, germination-speed-based vigor, plant height, leaf number, stem diameter, root weight, leaf area, and a hypothetical vigor index. Of the 730 seeds tested, 610 germinated, resulting in an overall germination percentage of 83.56% and a seed-vigor index of 29.04. Z1 produced the greatest plant height (17.60 cm), number of leaves (3.50), stem diameter (0.24 cm), and hypothetical vigor index (3.26). Plant height and leaf number were significantly higher in Z1 than in the polyembryonic and divided-seed treatments. P3 produced the greatest root weight at 1.60 g, whereas P2 produced the largest leaf area at 44.2 cm², although statistical differences were not established for these variables. Intact zygotic seeds are therefore recommended as the principal planting material for langsat seedling production, while polyembryonic and divided seeds may serve as supplementary sources when seed availability is limited.

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