Effect of Germination Conditions, Grading and Storage of Teak (Tectona grandis Linn. F.) Drupes on the Germination Parameters

The effect of raised nursery beds, ischolar_main trainers using potting mixture as the medium and plastic trays using sand as the medium were studied on the germination of Teak drupes graded into 9-12 mm, 12-15 mm, and 15-18 mm size obtained from two different plantations of Nilambur Forest Division, Kerala. The effect of storage of teak drupes of different size grades for one year was also studied. Highest germination was obtained in nursery bed while the lowest was in sand under laboratory conditions. 15-18 mm drupes sown in nursery bed resulted in the highest germination percentage of 83.4 and germination value of 0.027 in Chathamparai plantation. The mean germination percentage and germination value of Cherupuzha plantation decreased from 38 and 0.039 to 3 and 0.015 respectively at the end of storage for one year. The effect of drupe size and the interaction between storage and drupe size on the storage life was not significant. The 15-18 mm size grade drupes of Cherupuzha plantation had 52% germination, which decreased with decrease in drupe size. The germination value did not vary with drupe size. The present study has shown that teak drupes germinate better in nursery bed compared to ischolar_main trainers and sand medium. Storage for one year resulted in 91 per cent reduction in germination percentage. Largest germination percentage could be obtained by using 15-18 mm size grade drupes.