Altitudinal Variation in Cone and Seed Characteristics of <I>Picea smithiana</I> (Wall.) Boiss. In Temperate Forests of Jammu & Kashmir, India

Manjeet Singh; V. R. R. Singh; S. N. Zaffar

doi:10.36808/if/2017/v143i7/119016

Altitudinal Variation in Cone and Seed Characteristics of Picea smithiana (Wall.) Boiss. In Temperate Forests of Jammu & Kashmir, India

Authors

Manjeet Singh S.K. University of Agriculture Science and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar, Srinagar, J & K
V. R. R. Singh Himachal Pradesh Forest Department, Mist Chamber, Khalini, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
S. N. Zaffar S.K. University of Agriculture Science and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar, Srinagar, J & K

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36808/if/2017/v143i7/119016

Keywords:

Altitudinal Variation, Cone, Seed, Picea smithiana, Germination.

Abstract

The study was carried out in four forest divisions (Lidder, Anantnag, Kulgam and Shopian) and three altitudinal zones (<2200m-Lower, 2200-2600m-Middle and >2600m-Upper) (latitude 30Â° 37' to 34Â° 55 and longitude 74Â° 44Â° 25 of J&K relaing to cone and seed characteristics of Picea smithiana which indicated significant variation among cone and seed parameters. The mean cone weight was 68.56 gm at lower, 75.23 gm at middle and 80.75 gm at upper altitudes at maturity with mean diameter of 30.45 mm, 34.60 mm and 39.24 mm and length of 13.69 cm, 14.10 cm and 13.76 cm at lower, middle and upper altitudes, respectively. Number of seeds per cone averages at 123 at lower, 173.26 at middle and 98.38 at upper altitudes accounting for about 1.55% of total cone weight. Specific gravity which is an index of cone maturity recorded a mean of 0.95. Germination study reveals that germination percent at maturity was 28.96 at lower, 42.6 at middle and 19.24 at higher altitude. Germination energy was 18.64 at lower, 23.18 at middle and 10.55 at higher altitude, germination energy index was 35.05 at lower, 41.34 at middle and 31.72 at higher altitude.

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