Effect of Seed Treatments on Seed Germination Studies in Ramphal (Annona reticulata L.)

Abstract

Annona reticulata L., commonly known as bullock's heart, is a tropical fruit-bearing tree belonging to the Annonaceae family. It is prized for its flavourful and nutritious fruit. The plants are used for anti-inflammatory, stress reliever, antimutagenic, curing wounds, anti-anxiety, and spasmolytic properties and have all been used. In this fruit, the seeds are poor due to seed dormancy, and viability is easily lost. To overcome this problem in bullock’s heart, an experiment was laid out in the Floriculture unit, Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu on seed germination studies in Ramphal (Annona reticulata L.). Amongst the different pre-sowing seed treatments, treatment with Gibberellic Acid @ 1000 ppm significantly improved the germination percentage (90.63%) and reduced the number of days taken for initiation of seed germination (17.02 days), days taken for 50 percent of seed germination (22.44 days), span of seed germination (25.09 days) as compared to control. This experiment concluded that Gibberellic Acid @ 1000 ppm treated seeds have better seed germination characteristics.