EFFECT OF PRE-SOWING TREATMENTS ON STONE GERMINATION AND SHOOT GROWTH OF MANGO (Mangifera indica L.) SEEDLINGS

R.J. PATEL¹, T.R. AHLAWAT²*, ALKA SINGH³, S.K. MOMIN⁴, GAVRI CHAUDHRI^5
1Department of Fruit Science, ASPEE College of Horticulture, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, 396450, Gujarat, India
²Department of Fruit Science, ASPEE College of Horticulture, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, 396450, Gujarat, India
³Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, ASPEE College of Horticulture, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, 396450, Gujarat, India
⁴Department of Fruit Science, ASPEE College of Horticulture, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, 396450, Gujarat, India
⁵Department of Fruit Science, ASPEE College of Horticulture, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, 396450, Gujarat, India
* Corresponding Author : tahlawat4@gmail.com

Received : 03-05-2016     Accepted : 28-08-2016     Published : 30-10-2016
Volume : 8     Issue : 52       Pages : 2437 - 2440
Int J Agr Sci 8.52 (2016):2437-2440

Keywords : Mango, GA3, Thiourea, Germination percentage, Shoot length
Academic Editor : Dr Manju Rana
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : None declared
Author Contribution : None declared

A trial was conducted to assess the effect of pre-sowing treatments on stone germination and shoot growth of mango seedlings. Mango stones were soaked for 12 and 24 hours in aqueous solutions of GA3 (100 and 200 ppm), Beejamruth (2% and 3%) and Thiourea (1% and 2%) and sown in polythene bags. Thiourea at 1% recorded the highest Seedling Vigour Index, shoot length, collar diameter and number of leaves. Soaking mango stones for 24 hours induced early germination, enhanced germination percentage, promoted vigour and increased shoot length, collar diameter and number of leaves. The minimum days taken for germination and the maximum germination percentage was observed in GA3 at 100 ppm. Evidence generated by this trial highlights the possibility of inducing early germination and producing vigorous rootstocks in mango by dipping stones in aqueous solutions of 100 ppm GA3 or 1% thiourea for 24 hours prior to sowing.