Magnolia grandiflora is highly ornamental and decorative evergreen tree which has a white flowers with aromatic odor. In Egypt, it is grown in botanical and private gardens. The essential oil from flowers have many medical uses.
A study was carried out during two successive seasons of 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 at the Experimental Station and Laboratory of Horticulture Department, Fac. of Agriculture, MansouraUniversity.
The study aimed to improve seed germination of Magnolia grandiflora, with different treatments such as distilled water soaking, soaking in GA3 at (500,1000 and 2000 ppm), soaking in kinetin at (25,50 and 100 ppm) for 24 hours alone or in combination with cold stratification for (45 and 90 days).
The results of this study can be summarized as follows: -
1 - All treatments increased germination percentages than control.
2 - The highest germination percentages were (94.74, 96.51 %) and (91.24, 92.96 %) by soaking seed in GA3 (2000 ppm) and kinetin (100 ppm) combined with cold stratification for 45 days, while soaking in distilled water were (38.60, 40. 38 %) and the control (28.84, 30.46 %) in the two seasons respectively.
3 - Also soaking seeds in GA3 2000 ppm for 24 h, combined with cold stratification for 45 days gave the tallest plants (25.90, 25.97 cm) and the maximum number of leaves (9.33, 9.44) in the two seasons respectively.
4 - In addition total phenols was significantly decreased with the previous treatment since it were (0.131, 0.128 mg/100gDW) while in control were (0.179, 0.177 mg/100gDW) and reducing sugar percentages significantly increased, since it were (5.95, 6.08 %) while control values were (5.51, 5.55 %) during the two seasons respectively .
From the present study it could be concluded that, the best germination percentage, of Bull Bay (Magnolia grandiflora L.) plant, vegetative growth (the tallest plant and maximum number of leaves) , the minimum total phenols and maximum reducing sugar (%) were obtained from soaking seeds at GA3 2000 ppm for 24 hours combined with cold stratification for 45 days .