Effect of Time of Watering on the Germinationand Seedling Growth of Cycads Sucker (cycas Circinalis L.)

Cycads has a wide range of adaptability and acceptability from tropical to subtropical conditions with an array of varieties, it is essential to give a serious though on the position and status of production of this major commercial flower for follow up action at national and sub-national level to boost its export trade. Therefore, this project was carried out to assist the effect of time of watering on the germination and seedling growth of cycads sucker (Cycas circinalis l.) The study was conducted at the College of Agriculture, Science and Technology research farm lafia, Nasarawa State. Nigeria during 2023 dry season. The experiment was laid out in complete randomize design (CRD) and data was collected weekly after sprouting on the Number of leaves, Length of leaves and the number of Fingers per leaves for 8 weeks after planting. Fifty 50 cycad suckers was harvested from project village, Lafia. Nasarawa State and divided into five groups and sown to know the percentage sprouts and germination on heights, number of leaf and the number of finger per plant the treatment were T1 = 10 litters once/day in the morning, T2 = 10 litters twice/day, T3 = 20 litters once/day, T4 = 20 litters twice/ day, T5 = No watering. The Data collected was subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using GENSTAT software and the difference in the treatment means were determined using least signification difference (LSD) at 0.05. Water is a major constituent of all living organisms which is involved in important biochemical processes including photosynthesis thus its availability in adequate quantity and at biologically tolerable interval affects productivity of plant species. Higher number of cycads fingers were obtained when 20lt of water was used twice a day, meaning that stand with highest volume of water performed better in line with the previous findings by Gonzales, this also agreed with their findings on those stand without watering that drought water has influence on cycads but the plant can tolerate long time absence of water.