Seed Dispersal, Seed Germination and Seedling Establishment in Natural Forests of Silver Fir and Spruce II. Seed Germination and Seedling Establishment

Abstract

Studies conducted on seed germination and seedling establishment in natural forests of spruce and sliver fir in Kotgarh Forest Division, Himachal Pradesh showed that in case of both spruce and silver fir the seed dispersed in October had lower germination percentage than that dispersed in November. Silver fir seed started germinating just after the snow melt in May and spruce seed germinated with the onset of monsoon rains in the later part of June. The percentage of seedlings at the end of first growing season to the number of seeds dispersed in case of silver fir and spruce varied from 0.72 to 7.99 and 1.21 to 8.17 respectively. The mortality percentage of the seedling in sliver fir and spruce varied from 31.93 to 80.58 and 22.22 to 100 respectively in different plots.