Hussam Baroudi1* and Georgous Makhoul2

1 Researcher, General Commission for Scientific Agriculture Research, Latakia, Syria.
2 Professor, Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Latakia University, Lattakia, Syria.

(*Corresponding author :Dr. Hussam Baroudi, Email: hussambaroudi@gmail.com)

Received: 20/11 /2025      Accepted: 4/03 /2026

Abstract

This study was conducted at faculty of Agricultural, laboratory of seeds germination in Lattakia during the 2025 season, aiming to evaluate the effectiveness of various treatments in breaking dormancy and promoting germination of Syrian black mulberry (Morus nigra L.) seeds. Seeds were collected from a local cultivar grown in Maten al-Sahel, Tartous Governorate, and subjected to pre-germination treatments including soaking in water (cold, warm, boiling), gibberellic acid (GA₃) at two concentrations (250 and 500 ppm), and chemical scarification with sulfuric acid. Treated seeds were sown in Petri dishes under light and dark conditions and monitored daily for 60 days. The results revealed significant differences among treatments. GA₃ at 250 ppm achieved the highest germination rate (100%) and germination index (3.33 under light, 3.09 under darkness). In contrast, water-based treatments showed limited effectiveness, with germination rates not exceeding 28%. Sulfuric acid treatment under light conditions resulted in a high germination index (4.00) but a relatively lower germination rate (82.33%), indicating possible damage to seed viability. These findings suggest that treatment efficacy depends not only on the applied substance but also on environmental conditions, highlighting the presence of physiological dormancy in black mulberry seeds that requires hormonal or environmental triggers to be overcome.

Keywords: Alshami Mulberry, Morus nigra L., seeds, germination, dormancy index.

 Full paper in Arabic: PDF