Effect of Methods of Seed Drying on Different Growth Parameters of Melia azadarach (Persian lilac tree)

摘要

The study was carried out at SKUAST-K, Shalimar Campus, Srinagar during the year 2007-08. Mature seeds of Persian lilac tree (Melia azadarach) were collected from phenotypically superior trees. After cleaning, the seeds were dried by four methods viz., sun, shade, oven dry at 40 +/- 1 degrees C and 75 +/- 1 degrees C. Seeds dried by above mentioned methods were subjected to different germination tests under controlled conditions. Among the four methods of drying, shade drying was found to be the best method which recorded highest germination per cent (75.97), MGT (6.92) and GV (65.40). Further shade dried seeds also showed better performance under nursery conditions in terms of germination percentage (77.35), MGT (9.6), GV (65.40), height (10.72 cm) and collar diameter (3.51 mm) with total biomass of 0.80 g as compared to the seeds dried by other methods.