Effect of Soaking Conditions with Growth Regulators and Nutrient Solutions on Germination Behavior of Ratela: A Fuelwood Species of Shiwalik Hills

摘要

The present investigation was carried out to determine the germination behavior of ratela seeds by giving soaking treatment with growth regulators and nutrient solutions. Ratela (Wendlandia exserta Roxb. DC.) a fuelwood and small timber species is a member of Rubiaceae family. It has been well distributed throughout the sub- Himalayan tract up to 1,400 m elevation, in outer Himalaya, Chotanagpur and parts of Indian Peninsula. The seeds were treated at different soaking periods viz.. no soaking, 6 hour and 12 hour with different growth regulators-IAA, IBA. NAA, GA,, KIN, and Ethrel and salt solutions (MgS04 and KNO,). Germination studies were carried out to record the initiation of germination, germination percentage and germination energy. The experiment was laid out in completely randomized design (factorial). The results revealed that treatment with GA, without soaking gave higher (41.67%) germination percentage though the interaction effect was non-significant. The seeds took significant minimum(4.67 days) in water soaked seeds (T,P ) for initiation of germination. For germination energy, the interac-tion of soaking period and chemical treatment was found to be non-significant.