The present investigation was undertaken to standardize seed germination pre-treatments in Horsfieldia glabra and Semecarpus prainii. Results revealed significant differences among the treatments for various germination related parameters in both the species. Seed treatment with GA3 (100 mg/L for 24 h) was found to be most congenial for obtaining maximum germination percentage (78.79%), lowest T50 value (27.17 d), and highest seedling collar thickness (4.02 mm) in H. glabra. Among the treatments studied, water soaking for 2 h was found to improve germination in both cultivated cashew (100.00%) and wild cashew (S. prainii, 35.52%). Interestingly, treatment of cultivated cashew seeds with acetone supported better seedling growth, while this treatment failed to induce any germination in wild cashew. Hence, seed treatment with GA3 (100 mg/L for 24 h) and water soaking for 2 h could be recommended for obtaining seedlings in large number in H. glabra and S. prainii, respectively. These findings could support habitat enrichment programmes and facilitate the conduct of systematic studies in these potential crop wild relatives. |
