RESEARCH NOTE EFFECT OF SEED SOURCE AND TEMPERATURE ON SEED GERMINATION OF CELTIS. AUSTRALIS L.: A PROMISING AGROFORESTRY TREE-CROP OF CENTRAL HIMALAYA, INDIA

摘要

Seeds of Celtis australis L were collected from 1.3 sites (from 10 candidate plus trees at each site) covering an altitudinal range from 550-1980m asl. Germination was tested at 7 temperature regimes. The optimum regime (25°C) was the same for all pr ovenances, but the germination %, mean germination time and germination index of provenances varied significantly. Germination % fell from over 40% for freshly collected seeds, to 28% after one year's storage at ambient room temperature - irrespective of provenance. Cold storage failed to improve on this figure. Among provenances that from Garud exhibited the maximum germination --38%, whilst that from lakholi exhibited the minimum --18%, after 1 year of storage compared to 57% and 3.3%, respectively, i n fresh collected seeds. Both seed source and the temperature affect the germination of C. australis The seeds should be stored at ambient temperature.