Seed Morphometry and Different Pre-sowing Treatments on Seed Germination of Spondias pinnata Linn. under Nursery Condition

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out during 2018–19 to evaluate the variation in seed dimension and most promising seed pre-treatments for accelerating germination of Spondias pinnata Linn. The various pre-sowing treatments were the Control (no treatment); soaking in cold water for 24 hours; soaking in cold water for 48 h; soaking in cold water for 72 h; soaking in 100 ppm thiourea for 24 h; soaking in 200 ppm thiourea for 24 h; soaking in 400 ppm thiourea for 24 h; soaking in 800ppm thiourea for 24 h; soaking in 1000 ppm thiourea for 24 h; soaking in 100 ppm KNO3 for 12 h; soaking in 200 ppm KNO3 for 12 h; soaking in 400 ppm KNO3 for 12 h; soaking in 800 ppm KNO3 for 12 h and soaking in 1000 ppm KNO3 for 12 h. The experiment was laid out in randomised block design with 13 pre-sowing treatments and the control with three replications of 100 seeds. The highest (54.33%) germination percentage was observed from cold-water for 48 hrs followed by thiourea 1000 ppm for 24 hrs (50.00%) and potassium nitrate 200 ppm for 12 hrs (48.67%). Parameters like germination value, mean germination time, root length, shoot length and seedling vigour index were significantly different among all the pre-treatments.