Effect of Seed Size and Presowing Treatments on Germination, Early Seedling Growth and Seedling Vigour of Senegalia catechu (L.f.) P.J.H. Hurter and Mabb. in Nursery Condition

Senegalia catechu (L.f.) P.J.H. Hurter and Mabb. (S. catechu) is a versatile leguminous tree of the Fabaceae family. Commonly termed “khair”, it is widely distributed across the country occurring naturally and as a plantation crop. This species flourishes in the Sub-Himalayan region of India, ranging from an altitude of 300 to 1,300 meters. Species is commercially valuable due to the extraction of Katha and cutch, apart from various other uses in traditional medicine. However, natural regeneration is severely hampered in wild due to seed dormancy resulting from the hard seed coat.

Senegalia catechu (L.f.) P.J.H. Hurter and Mabb. seeds were sorted into two size categories i.e. small (L₁) and large (L₂) and then subjected to eight presowing treatments to evaluate their effect on germination and initial seedling development in split plot design at Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India. The treatments were replicated thrice.

Large seed size (p≤0.05) significantly took lesser number of days taken to emergence (4.79 days), higher germination per cent (71.04%), maximum germination energy (30.57%). Large size seeds also exhibited superior growth and seedling biomass parameters. Amid the presowing treatments, cow dung slurry for 3 days (T₈) showed lesser number of days taken to emergence (3.00 days), higher germination percentage (78.33%), germination value (18.46) and germination rate index (2.30 per cent/days) and minimum mean germination time (8.03 days). Maximum seedling growth and seedling vigour index were found in seeds treated with cow dung slurry for 3 days (T₈). Further, this study seeks to explore the research avenues for conservation and utilization of Senegalia catechu (L.f.) P.J.H. Hurter and Mabb. in central and sub mountainous region of Punjab and other parts of India.