Butia Capitata - Crack the nut (seed)

[palmen]

I cracked open a butia seed, I found three seeds inside. Is it possible to germinate 3 separate individuals from them, or is it better to just plant the hole nut?

small pic.

[gsn]

yes you can get three seperate seedlings by cracking them like this.

The only problem I encountered doing this,was they seemed to be more suseptable(sp) to rot,and damping off!

Plus you have to be careful not to crush /damage the embryo.

Edited December 31, 2008 by gsn

[palmen]

yes you can get three seperate seedlings by cracking themn like this.

The only problem I encountered doing this,was they seemed to be more suseptable(sp) to rot,and damping off!

Thank you. Will this give me quicker germination?

[Xerarch]

I don't know a lot about germination after you crack them open, but if I had a whole bunch of Butia seeds to crack open I would eat some. They're actually quite good, tastes a little bit like coconut. That's what the people in Uruguay did when I spent some time down there.

[gsn]

I forgot to add I didn't just crack them open. I seperated them, so I had three individual embryos.

They look kinda little Hersey Kisses when seperated!

[palmen]

I forgot to add I didn't just crack them open. I seperated them, so I had three individual embryos.

They look kinda little Hersey Kisses when seperated!

Yes thats how I interpreted your first post:) They indeed look like Hersey Kisses chocolate Did you get easier/faster germination by doing this? And to Xerarch, I didn't find them very tasteful

[Mark Heath]

I forgot to add I didn't just crack them open. I seperated them, so I had three individual embryos.

They look kinda little Hersey Kisses when seperated!

Yes thats how I interpreted your first post:) They indeed look like Hersey Kisses chocolate Did you get easier/faster germination by doing this? And to Xerarch, I didn't find them very tasteful

Yes, you will get much faster germination w/ this method! BUT,,,, you should coat them w/ a fungiside like Mancozeb, which is what i use. Also, do not use much water when doing this, keep the potting medium SLIGHTLY damp and use heat and bingo!!! Be sure and use a well-draining potting mix to sow these guys in and you can grow them in that same medium untill you bump them up.

Good luck!

[Xerarch]

Sorry you didn't like them , the ones I ate were very fresh. I don't know if that made a difference or not.

[Jonathan]

I forgot to add I didn't just crack them open. I seperated them, so I had three individual embryos.

They look kinda little Hersey Kisses when seperated!

Yes thats how I interpreted your first post:) They indeed look like Hersey Kisses chocolate Did you get easier/faster germination by doing this? And to Xerarch, I didn't find them very tasteful

Yes, you will get much faster germination w/ this method! BUT,,,, you should coat them w/ a fungiside like Mancozeb, which is what i use. Also, do not use much water when doing this, keep the potting medium SLIGHTLY damp and use heat and bingo!!! Be sure and use a well-draining potting mix to sow these guys in and you can grow them in that same medium untill you bump them up.

Good luck!

Mark,

is there a clever way to crack them without crushing the embryo?

Cheers,

Jonathan

[Mark Heath]

Johnathan,

I don't have a whole lot of experience w/ cracking them open. I had allways used a hammer and tapped lightly, but you still lose some in the process. I just usually sow them and wait. But i have tried it and if you don't damage the endocarp/embryo, then you'll get results within a month! Hopefully someone will chime in and give you a better way to crack them open.

[gsn]

Mark,

is there a clever way to crack them without crushing the embryo?

Cheers,

Jonathan

Jonathan,

The easiest and safest way I found to crack them is with a regular size pair of pliers.

With the jaws closed there is an small opening in the center of the pliers jaws. Place the seed in that opening with the jaws of the pliers open. Then gently begin to squeeze,usually the outside of the seed will crack, and it is like a little built in safeguard, as the when the tips of the pliers jaws meet ,you can't go any further,so you don't crush the seed.

Good luck!

[Jonathan]

Thanks Guys,

I might give it a go on just a few.

The first time I germinated B. capitata, they came up within about 8 weeks, so I've been spoiled forever - I've got 3 other species of Butia seed at the moment, but its been months, and the waitings killing me!

Cheers,

Jonathan

[simona]

ok. I cracked one open too

[palmen]

Wow! I have now the first sprout on one seed, after ONE week Almost faster than washys

[tank]

Letting the nut dry out slightly so you can hear the individual seed rattling around will add to your success rate when cracking. This was a tip from Merrill Wilcox and has proved very helpfull.

I also use a hammer for cracking. I like to wrap the seeds in a towel while wacking them.

This seems to allow you to control the force of the blow.

Initially I use less force when cracking and increase it until the seed cracks.

You do damage some seed, but if your attempting to crack several hundred seed, this seems to be the quickest way.

[merrill]

Another refinement is to drill a hole that will almost hide the seed in a good hardwood board [hickory, locust] and strike it a good sharp blow w/ a hammer.

Best Wishes,

merrill

Edited June 14, 2010 by merrill

[Jack Daw]

Can you crack open a Jubaea seed like this to improve its germination ratio? Or it doesn't work with Jubaeas like that?

[John in Andalucia]

Can you crack open a Jubaea seed like this to improve its germination ratio? Or it doesn't work with Jubaeas like that?

You can, but it's risky. What you gain in extra sprouted seeds you can also lose when fungus attacks the emerging sinker around the exit point on the seed. When jubaea seeds are cracked, the endocarp can impact on the endosperm, also causing tiny scratches which will attract fungus spores.

If you want to go to the trouble of cracking them open, here's a list of things you can do to follow up:

Use sterilized (i.e. microwave treated) "sterile" medium such as coir, perlite, sand or vermiculite.

Use sterilized (pre-boiled) water to moisten the mix.

Check them EVERY day, and have a spray bottle handy with sterile water to "jet wash" any troublesome seeds when they sprout.

Move them around in the medium - i.e. don't let them rest in the same spot.

Segregate any that are attacked by fungus and put them in fresh, sterile medium .

I hope this helps!

[newtothat]

I am currently trying the nut cracking method with Butia odorata. The success report to come soon! Wish me luck!

[Darold Petty]

If you have access to a workshop vise, use it to slowly apply pressure until the nut cracks,.. there is no risk of excessive force, as with a hammer.

[MattyB]

That's what I've done in the past Darold, and it works great. I've had good luck with quick germination of Jubaea and Parajubaea this way.

[newtothat]

My Butia endos are getting bigger and bigger... Isn't that kinda strange? They still look healthy, but no germination yet!

[newtothat]

*embryos