Effect of seed treatment on germination and physiology of custard apple (Annona squamosa L.) at seedling stage

Abstract

An investigation was conducted to see the effect of GA3 and cow urine on growth and physiology of custard apple. The result evinced that the gibberellic acid at 200 ppm (T3) recorded minimum days taken to germination (15.75), days taken to 50% germination (10.50) germination percentage (86.67%), Significantly maximum length of seedling (25.17cm)where recorded in treatment T3, maximum fresh and dry weight ( 4.43and 0.81 g) of shoots respectively were obtained at 150 days after sowing under treatment T3, The highest number of roots per seedling where found in treatment T3 i.e (55.75), The maximum LAI (1.29) and LAD (3701.38 cm2 days) was noted under treatment T3 (GA3 200 ppm), The maximum mean survival percentage of seedlings (83.82%), seedling vigour index I ( 0.81cm) and seedling vigour index II (77.03g) was recorded under treatment T3.