Background: An assessment of the germination of African oil bean seeds as affected by crude oil pollution of soil was carried out in Asaba, Nigeria in 2008. Six (0.0, 1.4, 2.8, 5.3, 11.2 and 22.4% by weight per 1.6kg of weight of soil sample) crude oil concentrations in soil served as the treatments. A randomized complete block design was adopted with four replications.
Results: The results showed that no significant differences (P>0.05) existed between the Pentaclethra macrophylla seeds sown in the unpolluted (0.0%) and those planted in the 1.4% level of oil pollution as regards percentage germination, days to germination and rate of germination. Significant differences (P≤0.05) were however observed in the germination characteristics of P. macrophylla seeds sown in soils as the concentration of oil in soils increased.
Conclusion: The study has established that crude oil pollution of soil has a significant effect of reducing the viability of Pentaclethra macrophylla seeds. It is also demonstrated in the study that crude oil application to soil significantly delayed and reduced the rate of germination of Pentaclethra macrophylla seeds while the minimum (critical) level of crude oil pollution that Pentaclethra macrophylla seeds can tolerate with respect to germination is 1.4% wet weight.