Vol. 11, Issue 1 (2022)

Author(s):
ND Khobragade and Nikita Rai

Abstract:
Buchanania lanzan Spreng member of family Anacardiaceous known as chironji and charoli. Chironji seeds having high economic value in national and international market besides this, it is also used for medicinal purposes. Tribal folk lour reveals that, all plant part contains high medicinal value like leave, fruit, gum, root, seeds and seed oil and used for various disease like diarrhea, constipation, blood disease and skin disease etc. At present the species occurring in natural forests is depleting due to various reasons like low seed viability, seed characteristics (hard seed coat), destructive harvesting practices, slow growing, long fruiting period, biotic pressure and abiotic factors. Keeping the view of above facts nursery technique i.e Wire mesh structure and different seed pre-treatments are used to enhance the germination of B. lanzan at Forest Research Center for Skill Development (FRC-SD), Chhindwara. In this study total five pre-sowing seed treatments (T-1 to T-5) were used, which comprises of different treatments like water soaking (Different duration), mechanical damage and control (Without any treatment). Soil: Sand: FYM (1:1:2) potting media is used in nursery bags. Result concluded that Maximum germination i.e. 85% were achieved when seed treated with mechanical treatment (T-4), followed by 75% germination when seeds were soaked in water for 24 hours (T-1), on the other hand minimum germination i.e. 8.5% is obtained when seeds are not treated or control condition (T-5). The trend of germination percentage from maximum to minimum is T-4 > T-1 > T-2 > T-3 > T-5. Duration in germination process also differs from treatments to treatment maximum 37 days taken to complete the germination process by T-5 followed by T-3 and T-2 while in T-4 and T-2 completed this process within 19 and 21 days respectively. Maximum Average root length (11.7 cm.) and shoot length (12.3 cm.) was measured in T-4, followed by T-3 with 10.5 cm. and 8 cm root length and shoot length respectively. By adopting this nursery technique and seed pre-sowing treatment, provides healthy planting stock for afforestation and reforestation purposes with high survival percentage on nursery and field plantation.