1Post Graduate Research Centre, Department of Botany, Modern College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Shivajinagar, Pune-411 005.
2Department of Botany, University of Pune, Ganeshkhind, Pune-411 007.
*Corresponding author, E-mail: tdnikam@unipune.ernet.in
Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb. is a multipurpose leguminous tree valued internationally for its timber and pharmaceutical properties. Natural resurgence in this species is poor and the nursery germination is unpredictable. The species is recently included in the list of depleted plants. The present paper describes the effectiveness of wet heat, physical and acid scarification of seeds for inducing uniform and fast nursery germination in P. marsupium. The untreated seeds showed poor germination (28.2% in fifteen days, maximum of 44.3% in 30 days) and produced seedlings with least vigour index (1.1 – 1.4). The physically scarified seeds showed higher percentage germination (55.3%) within 15 days. Compared to the untreated seeds, the seeds treated with wet heat for 40 min produced 1.5 times more germination within 15 days. Among the seeds subjected to wet heat treatment and physical scarification and seeds scarified with concentrated HCl, H2SO4 and HNO3, the scarification for 30 min with concentrated H2SO4 was the most effective for induction of germination and production of uniform seedlings with higher vigour index. The maximum of 78% and 85% germination was observed within 15 and 30 days respectively with the maximum vigour index of 3.3. The seedlings attained the height of about 0.4 meters within 8–9 months after which they were transferred to the field. The 30 min scarification treatment of concentrated H2SO4 can be used to induce uniform and fast nursery germination in Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb.
Acid scarification, nursery germination, physical scarification, Pterocarpus marsupium, wet heat treatment
