Assessment of Pre-sowing Treatments on Germination of Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb.

Abstract

Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb. is an endangered leguminous tree highly important for its timber and medicinal properties with considerable conservation issues due to its natural regeneration limitation (2- 30%) caused by hard, lignified fruit cover. This study was conducted to enhance the seed germination of P. marsupium to overcome the physical dormancy barrier. The investigation was undertaken in the College of Forestry, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat, India, during 2023 and 2024. The trial was conducted by employing completely randomized design (CRD) with 15 treatments and 3 repetitions. The 15 pre-sowing seed treatments include control, water, various concentration of hormone (GA3), scarification (H2SO4 and mechanical). The treated fruits of different treatments were sown into trays filled with the germination media consisting of Soil + Sand + FYM (2:1:1) and watered regularly. Among various pre-sowing seed treatments, soaking fruits in GA3@750ppm solution for 12 hrs (T12) was observed to yield highest germination of 63.50%, mean daily germination, germination value, and germination rate index of 8.15. While lowest germination of 2.33% was recorded on treatment T9 (soaking fruits in conc. H2SO4 for 15 min+24 hrs normal water). Therefore, based on the results, treatment soaking fruits in GA3@750ppm solution for 12 hrs (T12) was found to be the best pre-sowing seed treatment for P. marsupium for higher seed germination in nursery.