Effect of Pre-Sowing Treatments on Seed Germination in Molshree (Mimusops elengi L.): A Versatile Ornamental Tree Species
Amit Kumar
Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Prabhat Tiwari
Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Subhaprada Behera
ICFRE- Bamboo and Rattan Centre, Aizawl, Mizoram, India.
Ram Prakash Yadav
Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Shayema Parveen
Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Rajnish Pandey *
Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India.
Siddharth Jha
Banaras Hindu University, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Somya
Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture Technology and Sciences, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Gullamani S Keithellakpam
Department of Forestry, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, India.
Adarsh Singh
Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Seed dormancy and irregular germination can constrain the nursery propagation of Mimusops elengi L. This study evaluated the effects of selected pre-sowing treatments on seed germination and associated germination indices under the experimental conditions at Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi, during 2022. Ten treatments, including two concentrations each of H₂SO₄, HNO₃, indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), and gibberellic acid (GA₃), a hot-water treatment, and an untreated control, were arranged in a completely randomised design with three replications. Germination percentage, mean daily germination, peak value, germination energy, germination value, speed of germination, germination rate index, imbibition period, coefficient of velocity of germination, and mean germination time were assessed. The 1500 ppm IBA treatment (T7) recorded 80% germination, compared with 30% in the control, and produced values of 0.96 for speed of germination, 0.53 for mean daily germination, 4.78 for germination rate index, 1491.67 for coefficient of velocity of germination, 14.92 for mean germination time, and 0.108 for germination value. The 1500 ppm GA₃ treatment (T9) recorded 75% germination and the highest germination energy (30.00). Overall, pre-sowing treatment influenced germination performance, with 1500 ppm IBA showing the most favourable response across several measured indices under the conditions of this experiment.
Keywords: Pre-sowing treatment, seed germination, seed dormancy, Molshree, Mimusops elengi, IBA, GA₃