52 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, VoL VI, January, 1952 
TABLE 1 
Effect of Age on Germination of Koa Haole Seed 
GERMI- 
NATION 
PERIOD 
(months) 
PERCENTAGE GERMINATION OF SEEDS PLANTED 
3 DAYS 
AFTER 
HARVEST 
1 MONTH 
AFTER 
HARVEST 
2 MONTHS 
AFTER 
HARVEST 
4 MONTHS 
AFTER 
HARVEST 
6 MONTHS 
AFTER 
HARVEST 
8 MONTHS 
AFTER 
HARVEST 
10 MONTHS 
AFTER 
HARVEST 
12 MONTHS 
AFTER 
HARVEST 
4 
50.4 
50.2 
47.5 
79.2 
80.5 
74.6 
73.5 
44.0 
8 
80.1 
86.2 
84.1 
89.4 
86.6 
77.3 
76.9 
73.4 
12 
89.9 
91.2 
88.6 
90.5 
88.3 
78.1 
82.5 
83.0 
16 
90.4 
91.4 
89.4 
91.3 
89.8 
80.8 
84.6 
84.6 
20 
90.9 
91.6 
90.0 
92.2 
90.7 
81.2 
85.0 
85.0' 
24 
91.4 
92.0 
90.7 
92.6 
90.9 
81.3 
85.7 
86.4 
28 
91.5 
92.1 • 
90.9 
92.6 
91.6 
82.5 
86.8 
87.2 
32 
91.6 
92.2 
91.1 
93.0 
92.0 
83.1 
■86.9 
87.4 
36 
92.0 
92.6 
91.4 
93.1 
92.0 
83.1 
87.3 
87.6 
40 
92.0 
92.6 
91.4 
93.1 
92.0 
83.2 
88.2 
89.4 
44 
92.0 
92.6 
91.5 
93.2 
92.4 
83.8 
88.2 
89.4 
48 
92.0 
92.6 
91.6 
93.4 
92.4 
83.8 
52 
92.3 
92.6 
91.7 
93.4 
• • 
e 9 
56 
92.3 
92.6 
. . 
germination of lO-year-oId seed was 56.6, 
66.0, 67.6, and 71.7, respectively. 
The data presented show that the time re- 
quired for maximum germination of un- 
treated koa haole seed under optimum con- 
ditions in the soil varied from 1 to 4 or more 
years, depending on the number of hard 
seeds. Prolonged storage under ordinary 
conditions tends to extend the dormant 
period. Koa haole seeds remain viable at 
ordinary storage conditions for as long as 
10 years. 
REFERENCE 
Akamine, Ernest K. 1942, Methods of in- 
creasing the germination of koa haole seed. 
Hawaii Agr. Expt. Sta. Cir. 21, 14 pp. 
seed the longer the period required for ger- 
mination. 
In a subsequent test, seeds harvested at the 
same time were stored for various periods be- 
fore germinating. The data presented in Table 
1 show that seeds planted 3 days to 6 months 
after harvest required approximately 1 year 
to produce a germination of about 90 per 
cent. Seeds planted 8 to 12 months after 
harvest were delayed in emergence. It appears 
that these seeds will require approximately 4 
years to attain a germination of 90 per cent. 
In a final experiment, the germination of 
old seeds was studied. The percentage ger- 
mination of 17-month-old seed was 60.7, 
66.8, 68.3, and 69.2 at the end of the first, 
second, third, and fourth years, respectively. 
At the end of similar periods, the percentage 
