EFFECT OF POTTING MEDIA AND PRE-TREATMENTS ON GERMINATION OF Ailanthus excelsa Roxb.

RAMA KANT¹*, M.S. BHANDARI², R.K. MEENA^3
1Genetics & Tree Improvement Division, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, 248195, Uttarakhand, India
²Genetics & Tree Improvement Division, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, 248195, Uttarakhand, India
³Genetics & Tree Improvement Division, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, 248195, Uttarakhand, India
* Corresponding Author : rgbp_82@rediffmail.com

Received : 01-10-2018     Accepted : 23-10-2018     Published : 30-10-2018
Volume : 10     Issue : 10       Pages : 522 - 525
Genetics 10.10 (2018):522-525

Keywords : Ailanthus excelsa, germination percentage, seed and seedling mortality, Pre-treatments
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : Author thankful to Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, 248195, Uttarakhand, India for financial support. Author also thankful to Dr. Shailesh Pandey, Scientist-D, Forest Protection Division, FRI Dehradun for his valuable suggestions and providing input through software SPSS (Version16.0)
Author Contribution : All author equally contributed

Fresh seeds were collected from various places of Northern India to study the effect of potting media and pre-treatments on germination of Ailanthus excelsa. Germination and mortality were recorded up to 60 days after sowing. The results of pre-treatment of seeds showed the highest germination (%) was found in alternate wetting and drying (93.85±0.52%) followed by hot water (92.31±0.16%) and mechanical scarification (90.00±0.38%) treatments. However, Minimum germination was recorded in nitric acid (76.92±0.34%) followed by boiled water (83.85±0.85%). Hundred percent seed mortality was observed in sulphuric acid. Whereas, maximum seedling mortality was recorded in potassium hydroxide (18.67±0.58%) followed by alternate wetting and drying, and mechanical scarification (13.33±0.58%) treatments. Effect of the composition of potting media on seed germination was also observed. Highest germination (92±1.73%) was observed in the potting mixture (I) ratio of 2:1:1 (Sand:Soil:Compost), followed by potting mixture (E) (86±1.73%; 18:1:1) and potting mixture (K) (85±1.73%; 6:7:7). Minimum germination was recorded in compost (63±2.00%) and coco-peat (65±1.00%). However, maximum seedling mortality (%) was recorded for potting media (E) (70±4.36%) followed by potting media K (69±3.00%; 6:7:7) and I (67±2.00%; 2:1:1). Minimum seedling mortality was observed in compost (2±1.00%) and coco-peat (16±4.36%), respectively. It could be concluded that the seeds with untreated, mechanical scarified, cold water treatment had very good germination percentage and were better than those pre-treated with chemical methods.

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