SEED CHARACTERISTICS AND GERMINATION BEHAVIOUR OF SOME IMPORTANT CONIFEROUS TREES OF CENTRAL HIMALAYA, INDIA

Abstract

Eight coniferous species present around Nainital were studied for their seed characteristics and germination behaviour. The colour of the mature cone varied from brown, yellow to grey and seed shape varied from triangular to elliptical. The largest seed was of Cedrus deodara(13.7x 3.6 mm) and the smallest was of Cupressus torulosa (4.2>t.2.3Smm). Seed mass was heaviest in Pinus roxburghii (10.58 g/100 seeds on fresh weight basis) and lightest in C. torulosa (0.46 g/100 seeds). No germination occurred in the case of Taxus baccata. However, in the remaining species maximum germination occurred
in 24 to 30 days. A majority of species showed optimum germination at 25 °C, while C. torulosa showed better germination in sand after 15 days of air-drying.