Characteristics of Seed Germination and Growth of Wood Apple Seedlings (Feronia limonia (L.) Swingle) from Five Districts in Rembang Regency

Rembang Regency is a central area for wood apples, but the population is decreasing, so the plant population must be increased to ensure it does not become extinct. To propagate wood apple plants, information on high-quality seed sources is necessary to produce healthy seedlings. The research aimed to determine the germination and growth characteristics of wood apple seeds from five districts in Rembang, where there are still many wood apple plants. The research consisted of two experiments: germination and growth of wood apple seedlings. The research was a single-factor experiment using a completely randomized design, consisting of 5 seed source districts, namely Kaliori, Lasem, Sulang, Rembang, and Pamotan districts. The results showed that there were differences in the germination characteristics of wood apples from five seed sources in Rembang; however, no differences were observed in seedling growth. Seeds from Pamotan and Sulang, which have a heavier seed weight, provide a higher percentage of germination and seedling emergence than seeds with a lower weight. Seeds from Kaliori, which had the lowest seed weight, showed a lower percentage of germination and seedling emergence. Even though there was no difference in seed growth, the seeds from Pamotan and Sulang, which had seeds with a higher weight, showed better seed growth. On the other hand, seeds with a lower weight give lower seedling growth.