Studies on influence of pre-sowing treatments, sowing positions and age of stones after extraction on germination of mango

The present investigation was conducted at College of Agriculture, Vellayaniduring the year2017-2018 to assess the effect of pre-sowing treatments, sowing positions and age of stone afterextraction from the fruit on germination of mango stones. Mango stones of different age groups viz., freshly extracted stones, 10 and 20 days after extraction of pulp were soaked for 24 hours in aqueoussolutions of GA3 (100 and 200 ppm), KNO3 (1 and 2 ppm), cow dung slurry, water and control (withouttreatments)and sown in flat and stalk end up (plumule up) positions in polythene bags. The freshlyextracted mango stones which were soaked in 200 ppm GA3 solution and sown in plumule up positionrecorded the least number of days for initiation of germination (13 days) and 50% germination (23 days), the highest rate of germination (0.74), seedling length (27.35 cm) and dry weight (10.70 g) whereasfreshly extracted mango stones which are soaked in 100 ppm GA3 solution and sown in plumule upposition recorded the highest germination (82.22%), seedling vigour index-I (2142.03 cm) and seedlingvigour index-II (791.48 g).