Seed dormancy, germination and seedling characteristics of Elaeocarpus prunifolius Wall. ex Müll. Berol.: a threatened tree species of north-eastern India

New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science

Table 2 Germination of E. prunifolius seeds subjected to (a) physical, mechanical and chemical scarification and (b) plant growth regulators

Treatment No.	Treatment details	Mean germination (days)	Germination (%)	T₅₀ (days)
1a	Cold water (20 °C)	210 ± 1^a	10.67 ± 1.33^a	210 ± 2
2a	Hot water (80 °C)	0	0	0
3a	Boiling water (100 °C)	0	0	0
4a	Scarification near micropyle	0	0	0
5a	Cracked seeds with vice	146 ± 1	45.83 ± 1	144 ± 2
6a	Scarified+warm water (2 h)	212 ± 1^a	14.67 ± 1.33^a	216 ± 2
7a	95% H₂SO₄ for 5 min	0	0	0
8a	95% H₂SO₄ for 10 min	0	0	0
9a	95% H₂SO₄ for 15 min	0	0	0
10a	95% H₂SO₄ for 20 min	0	0	0
11a	Untreated control	213 ± 5^a	24.67 ± 3	174 ± 9
1b	200 mg L⁻¹ GA₃	0	0	0
2b	500 mg L⁻¹ GA₃	78 ± 1^a	15.56 ± 2^a	77 ± 1
3b	1000 mg L⁻¹ GA₃	63 ± 1^b	17.78 ± 2^ad	64 ± 2
4b	2000 mg L⁻¹ GA₃	70 ± 2^c	20 ± 0^ae	71 ± 2
5b	3000 mg L⁻¹GA₃	54 ± 1^d	24.44 ± 2^ce	55 ± 1
6b	0.5% KNO₃	0	0	0
7b	1% KNO₃	0	0	0
8b	1.5% KNO₃	63 ± 3^b	8.89 ± 2^b	62 ± 3
9b	2.0% KNO₃	0	0	0
10b	200 mg L⁻¹ GA₃ + 0.5%KNO₃	63 ± 3^b	22.22 ± 2^de	61 ± 3
11b	500 mg L⁻¹ GA₃ + 1% KNO₃	56 ± 1^de	31 ± 2^f	56 ± 2
12b	Water	0	0	0

T₅₀: time required to attain 50% germination, ±SEM (standard error of mean)
Note: For each treatment, means followed by the same letter in each column do not differ significantly at p < 0.05