Vol. 10, Issue 10 (2021)

Author(s):
Susmita Shil and Dr. RK Prajapati

Abstract:
Seed germination is the initial stage in the development of plant growth, and in this instance, some factor serves as a catalyst. The study was conducted to determine how different pre-sowing seed treatments affected the germination behavior of Terminalia chebula Retz. (Harad) in the nursery, as germination is limited by Harad's hard rocky seed coat. The pre sowing treatment viz., Cold water soaking for 24, 48, and 72 hours (T₂, T₃, T₄), dipping in 50% sulphuric acid for 20, 25, and 30 minutes (T₅, T₆, T₇), immersion in cow dung slurry for 15, 30, and 45 days (T₈, T₉, T₁₀), breaking seed coat through stone (T₁₁), and control (T1) were all applied to break the hard seed cover with the various treatments. The mechanical treatment (T₁₁) had the highest (70.6 percent) seed germination and the control treatment (T₁) had the lowest (9.33 percent). In comparison to the other treatments, T₁₁-breaking seed coat through stone had the highest peak value and germination value, whereas the control treatment had the lowest. The number of days it took for seedlings to emerge was lower in the mechanical treatment than in the other treatments, and it was maximum in the control treatment. As a result, the study concluded that mechanical treatment (T₁₁) is the optimum way in terms of seed germination % and the number of days it takes for seed germination to occur.