Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110012
In. order to break the dormancy of ‘Sharbati’ peach seeds a number of chemical treatments i.e. GA3 (500, 1000 and 2000 ppm), thiourea (2500, 5000 and 7500 ppm) and kinetin (25, 50 and 100 ppm) were given and then the seeds were stratified at 7°, 10° and 20°C for different period. Chemical treatments partially substituted the after-ripening period, and also enhanced the seed germination. The highest seed germination 83.33 per cent in case of seeds without pericarp and 80 per cent in the seeds with pericarp was obtained when seeds treated with 5000 ppm thiourea and then stratified at 10°C for 60 days. By this treatment seed germination was also enhanced by 30 days.
