EFFECT OF PRE-SOWING SEED TREATMENTS AND GROWING MEDIA ON GERMINATION AND GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF BAHERA (Terminalia bellirica Roxb.)
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Date
2020-09
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NAUNI,UHF
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The present investigation entitled “Effect of pre-sowing seed treatments and growing
media on germination and growth performance of Bahera (Terminalia bellirica Roxb.)” was
carried out at the Experimental Farm, Department of Silvilculture and Agroforestry, Dr Y.S Parmar
University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (HP) during 2019-2020. The experiment was
laid under polyhouse condition in complete randomized design (CRD factorial) with three
replications. Bahera (Terminalia bellirica Roxb.) belongs to the family combretaceae and its different
parts have been used for various purposes but due to the presence of thick fleshy pulp of fruits, hard
seed coat and inappropriate use of forest products due to population pressure results in poor natural
regeneration and low availability of bahera quality seeds. Therefore, the objectives of present study
were to determine the most suitable pre-sowing seed treatment, root container and growing media for
better seed germination, seedling vigour, growth and also for the production of better seedling
biomass of bahera. The seeds were subjected to seven pre-sowing seed treatments (T) and the pretreated
seeds were sown in two types of root containers (C) filled with four growing media (M)
composed of soil, sand, FYM and vermicompost. From the present study it is evident that the
significantly maximum germination percent (70.67 %), germination value (4.55), germination energy
(56.00 %) and the minimum germination period of 32.33 days were obtained when the seeds were
treated with T3treatment(seeds soaked in beejamrutha for 4 weeks) and sown in C1(polybags) filled
with M3growing mediacomposed of soil + sand + FYM (1:1:1) i.e. T3C1M3 treatment combination.
Similarly, maximum seedling height (34.00 cm), collar diameter (8.03 mm), number of leaves
(17.67), leaf area (46.58 cm2), vigour index (5350), root length (41.70 cm) and root thickness (9.50
mm) were obtained when seedlings were grown in T3C1M3 treatment combination where as, the
maximum number of secondary roots (38.00) were observed when the seedlings were grown from the
pre- treated seeds with T3 treatment and grown in C1 (polybags) filled with M4 growing media
composed of soil + sand + vermicompost (1:1:1) i.e. T3C1M4 treatment combination. However,
maximum value of dry shoot weight (4.08 gm), dry root weight (3.91 gm), root-shoot ratio (0.96),
total dry biomass of seedling (7.99 gm) and the maximum value of quality index (1.52) were obtained
for theseedlings grown inT3C1M3treatment combination.