Effect of Pre-sowing Treatment and Sowing Time on Germination and Early Performance of Melia composita

The pre-sowing treatments (soaking drupes in gibberellic acid 50 ppm for 24 hours, soaking drupes in gibberellic acid 100 ppm for 24 hours, soaking drupes in concentrated H₂S₄0 for 10 minutes, soaking drupes in concentrated H₂S₄0 for 15 minutes, mechanical scarification cracking of drupes, soaking drupes in cow dung slurry for 30 days and control-no treatment) were tested to enhance the germination of Melia composita at two sowing time (20^th April and 04^th May). Germination and most of the growth parameters were recorded highest in mechanical scarification. The sowing of 20^th April had significantly higher collar diameter, number of leaves, fresh shoot weight, dry shoot weight, length ofprimary root, number of secondary roots, fresh root weight, dry root weight, total seedling fresh weight, total seedling dry weight and seedling quality index than the sowing date of 04^th May. The interaction of mechanical scarification x sowing-20^th April also had significantly higher values for the most studied growth parameters than the remaining interactions. The study implies that mechanical scarification of drupes of Melia composita and sowing in the month of April is appropriate for obtaining good quality planting stock.