Effect of Pre-sowing Treatments for Hastening the Germination of <I>Enterolobium cyclocarpum</I> (Jacq.) Griseb. and <I>Hymenaea courbaril</I> L.

Abstract

The paper presents the results of an investigation carried out at the arboretum of Regional Research Laboratory, Bhubaneswar, Orissa, to find out the effect of pre-treatments on two exotic fast growing N₂ fixing leguminous tree species. Pre-treatments with hot water and concentrated H₂SO₄ were found to hasten the germination rate from 80 to 85% in Enterolobium cyclocarpum and from 67 to 80% in Hymenaea courbaril. With out pre-treatment, the germination per cent was found to be nil. Fire scorching gave lower per cent germination i.e. 47 to 60% than the other treatments. Hot water is recommended as an effective and cheap pre-treatment for nurseries in Agro or Farm or Social forestry programmes.