Effect of scarification treatments on growth parameters of ber seedling

Abstract

The investigation was carried out at fruit nursery, Department of Horticulture, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. Seeds were collected from desi/ wild plants of ber in the month of March. The seeds were separated from the fruits and dried in the shade. Dried seeds were treated with fourteen different scarification treatments such as sulphuric acid soaking for 5 min and 10 min, gibberellic acid soaking @ 250 ppm for 12 hrs and 24 hours, gibberellic acid soaking @ 500 ppm for 12 hrs and 24 hours, potassium nitrate soaking @ 1% for 12 hrs and 24 hours, potassium nitrate soaking @ 2% for 12 hrs and 24 hours, water soaking for 24 hrs and 48 hrs, mechanical scarification and control. The performance of scarification treatments under nursery condition was recorded best in gibberellic acid soaking @ 250 ppm for 24 hours, it resulted into highest plant height (97.1cm), seedling diameter (4.77mm), inter-nodal length (31.3mm), number of leaves/plant (116.3), leaf area (6.29cm2) at 120 days after sowing or at the time of budding followed by gibberellic acid @ 500 ppm for 24 hours.