Effects of Fruit Maturity, Storage, Presoaking, and Seed Cleaning on Germination in Three Species of Palms

Green, half ripe and ripe fruit of queen [Arecastrum romanzoffianum (Cham.) Becc.], pygmy date (Phoenix roebelenii O'Brien) and royla palms [Roystonea regia (HBK) O. F. Cook] were cleaned or left uncleaned and were presoaked in 1000 mg/1 gibberellic acid (GA,) for 48 hr, water for 48 hr, were not presoaked. Queen palm seed germinated best if cleaned green or half-ripe seed was used, but pygmy date and royal palm seed germinated best when cleaned half-ripe or ripe seed was used. Cleaned seed of these palms can be stored in sealed polyethylene bags at 23°C (73°F) for 4 to 9 months. Depending on the species, and royal palm seed benefited from storage of up to 9 months, presumably due to immature seed embryos at time of harvest.