Comparative analysis of seed germination attributes in low chill versus high chill peach

The propsed study was conducted at Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, during 2022–23, using low-chill seeds of Florida Prince and high-chill seeds of wild peach. Using factorial completely randomized design with three replications, the experiments included as many 12 treatments with three stratification media (sand, cocopeat and sphagnum moss) and four chemical treatments (control, GA₃ 500 ppm, kinetin 50 ppm and thiourea 5000 ppm). Results indicated that sphagnum moss significantly increased the germination, coefficient of velocity, minimum mortality, early germination, mean days to germination as compared to cocopeat and sand. Additionally, GA₃ 500 ppm-treated seeds had significant effect on the above-mentioned germination parameters of low and high chill peaches as compared to kinetin, thiourea and control. The interaction between media and seed treatment further revealed highest germination and coefficient of velocity; while the minimum mortality, earliest germination, mean days to germination with GA₃-treated seeds stratified in sphagnum moss (M₃C₂) in low or high chill peaches. Thus, GA₃ 500 ppm stratified in sphagnum moss produced the maximum germination-related parameters in low- or high- chill peaches.