Fruit Setting, Inheritance of Nut Colour, Germination and Early Seedling Growth of Kola (Cola Nitida (Vent.) Schott and Endl).

Abstract

In a diallel cross involving six kola trees, two from each of the cultivars Laboshie white ex Nigeria, Kumasi white and Kade pink, a self compatible tree of the Kade pink cultivar was found to be the most efficient female but the least efficient male parent for fruit set. The frequency of red, white and pink nuts that segregated in the progeny of the various crosses suggests that a single locus with multiple alleles controls the inheritance of kolanut colour. At physiological fruit maturity, freshly harvested nuts of the different cultivars showed varying degrees of dormancy when sowed. Storage of the nuts for two months improved their germination rates suggesting that dormancy was breaking down. The most vigrous seedlings were from nuts of the progeny from crosses between the local cultivars, Kade pink and Kumasi white.