Abstract

Studies were conducted to find out the influence of presowing treatments on germination and seedling vigour of 9 month-old teak drupes (fruit with seed). The presowing treatments included were soaking in water followed by drying (S-D) for 6days at 12 hr interval, S-D for 5 days at 12 hr interval and 6th day soaking in ten different concentrations of potassium nitrate and thio urea (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0,3.5 4.0, 4.5 and 5.0%) solution separately for 12 hr with dry drupes as control. The results revealed that soaking and drying of drupes for 5 days at an interval of 12hr followed by soaking in 1% KNO3 or 2% thiourea gave 40% and 36% germination (23% over control) respectively. In addition to enhanced germination, in treated drupes, early emergence (12days) with more number of seedling/100 drupes and better seedling vigour were observed.

Keywords: Tectona grandis, potassium nitrate, thiourea, S-D treatment, seedling vigour