Effect of pre-sowing treatments on seed germination of guava (Psidium guajava L.) under Tarai region of Uttarakhand

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of pre-sowing treatments on seed germination of guava (Psidium guajava L.). Treatments were imposed under two variable conditions viz., open field and polyhouse. The objective of the study was to get healthy seedling rootstocks with highest survival percentage in minimum possible time. There were 24 treatment combinations which were replicated thrice. Seeds scarified with 10% hydrochloric acid for 2 minutes were found to be the best one with very high seed germination percentage (54.16%), seed vigour index (196.48), survival percentage of seedlings (93.59%) and takes minimum time to obtain mean germination (24.95 days). Scraping of seed coat with sand paper + seeds soaked in GA³ at 50 ppm for 24 hours resulted in the maximum relative elongation rate (0.088 cm) of seedlings. All the germination parameters were found best in protected environment (viz. polyhouse) as compared to openfield conditions. Sowing of seeds without pre-sowing treatment showed poor germination (23.50%) and survival percentage (74.30%).