The Effect of Seed Type in Fruit and Coconut Water Soaking on Germination and Growth Red Snake Fruit (Salacca Sumatrana Becc )

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South Tapanuli, North Sumatra — 24-Hour Coconut Water Soaking Recommended for Red Sidimpuan Snake Fruit Seedlings.Research conducted by Wanda Andika Hasibuan and colleagues from Universitas Graha Nusantara in 2025 was published in the International Journal of Integrated Science and Technology (IJIST), Volume 4, Issue 2, February 2026.

The study shows that soaking Red Sidimpuan snake fruit seeds in young coconut water for 24 hours can support early plant growth, although most seeds already have very high germination capacity. This finding is important for farmers because it offers a simple and low-cost technique to improve the quality of seedlings of this leading horticultural commodity from North Sumatra.

Simple greenhouse experiment in South Tapanuli

The experiment was conducted from May to July 2025 in a screen house at the Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Muhammadiyah Tapanuli Selatan, Indonesia. Seeds were collected from farmers’ orchards in West Angkola District, South Tapanuli Regency.

Researchers grouped seeds based on the number per fruit:

single seed
two seeds
three seeds

Each group received different soaking treatments:

water for 24 hours (control)
coconut water for 12 hours
coconut water for 18 hours
coconut water for 24 hours

Seeds were planted in a soil–sand–compost medium (1:1:1) in polybags and observed during early growth. Parameters included germination rate, germination speed, plant height, leaf emergence time, and leaf width.

Very high germination across treatments

The study found that nearly all Red Sidimpuan snake fruit seeds were highly viable. Average germination reached 97.22% across treatments. Seeds soaked in coconut water for 24 hours showed the highest germination (100%), although differences were not statistically significant.

Germination speed was also uniform, averaging 7.44 days after planting. This indicates that Red Sidimpuan snake fruit seeds naturally possess high physiological quality, so soaking treatments have limited impact on germination itself.

Single seeds produced taller seedlings

Differences appeared in early vegetative growth. At 38 and 45 days after planting, seed type significantly affected plant height. Seedlings originating from single-seed fruits were consistently taller than those from fruits with two or three seeds.

The researchers explained that single seeds are typically larger and contain more concentrated nutrient reserves. These reserves support faster cell division and elongation during early growth. In contrast, nutrient reserves in multi-seed fruits are distributed among embryos, resulting in relatively slower initial shoot growth.

Coconut water affected growth at specific stage

Soaking duration influenced plant height at 59 days after planting. Seeds soaked in coconut water for 18–24 hours produced taller plants than other treatments. However, this effect was not consistent across all observation times.

According to the research team, natural hormones in coconut water may stimulate meristem activity and stem elongation at certain stages. The influence is stronger in early growth and diminishes as plants begin active photosynthesis and nutrient uptake from the growing medium.

Leaf emergence time (around 52 days after planting) and leaf width showed no significant differences among treatments. This suggests that leaf development is mainly controlled by genetic and internal plant factors rather than initial seed treatments.

Internal seed quality plays dominant role

Overall, the study concludes that physiological seed quality is the main determinant of germination success and early growth in Red Sidimpuan snake fruit. Because the seeds used were already high quality, soaking treatments did not significantly change most parameters.

Nevertheless, data trends indicate that combining single seeds with 18–24-hour coconut water soaking can enhance early vegetative growth. This approach may be especially useful when seed quality is moderate or variable, as often occurs in farmer-level nurseries.

Wanda Andika Hasibuan of Universitas Graha Nusantara noted that simple natural technologies remain important for smallholders. Coconut water is widely available in snake fruit-growing regions and requires no additional cost. Such methods can improve nursery efficiency without reliance on synthetic growth regulators.

Practical implications for farmers and agribusiness

The findings provide several practical recommendations for Red Sidimpuan snake fruit propagation:

select seeds from single-seed fruits when possible
soak seeds in fresh coconut water for about 24 hours before planting
use loose, organic-rich growing media
maintain adequate moisture during early growth

Stronger early seedlings generally establish better and have higher potential for productive orchard development. Consistent seedling quality is particularly important for Red Sidimpuan snake fruit, which has geographic identity and premium market potential.

The research also supports the use of locally available natural inputs in horticulture. Coconut water as a natural growth stimulant aligns with sustainable and environmentally friendly farming practices.

Author profiles

Wanda Andika HasibuanUniversitas Graha Nusantara
Rasmita AdelinaUniversitas Graha Nusantara
Dewi SartikaUniversitas Graha Nusantara
Yusriani NasutionUniversitas Graha Nusantara
Sutan PulunganUniversitas Graha Nusantara

Research source

Hasibuan, W. A., Adelina, R., Sartika, D., Nasution, Y., & Pulungan, S. (2026). The Effect of Seed Type in Fruit and Coconut Water Soaking on Germination and Growth of Red Snake Fruit (Salacca sumatrana Becc.). International Journal of Integrated Science and Technology (IJIST), 4(2), 96–103.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59890/ijist.v4i2.278

URL: https://ntlmultitechpublisher.my.id/index.php/ijist