Improving Manzanillö olive seed germination

‘Manzanillo’ olive ( Olea europaea L.) seeds were subjected to chemical scarification with NaOH and H 2 SO 4 for various periods of time to determine the most appropriate treatment for improving the germination of the seeds. A critical balance of concentration and time was necessary to achieve high germination percentages without loss of viability of the seeds. H 2 SO 4 was more effective than NaOH in increasing germination percentages. Germination percentages as high as 98% were obtained on stratified seed using H 2 SO 4 , compared to 0% without chemical scarification.