Abstract

Medicinal and pesticidal plant propagation is hampered by poor seed germination due to seed dormancy. This study aimed to enhance seed germination and seedling growth using various pre-sowing treatments. A triplicated two-factor experiment in a Randomized Complete Block design was used. Soaking in water at 25°C for 24 h (T1), soaking in 60°C hot water for 10 min (T2), 10 ppm Potassium nitrate (KNO3) treatment for 24 h (T3), 20 ppm Potassium nitrate (KNO3) treatment for 24 h (T4), Treating seeds with Gibberellin (GA3) solution at 250 ppm (T5), GA3 Treating seeds with Gibberellin (GA3) solution at 500 ppm for 72 (T6), Treating seeds with Gibberellin (GA3) solution at 1000 ppm for 72 h (T7), and seeds without any pre-treatment were sown and used as control (To) on seed germination and seedling growth of two MPP species. The ability of a pre-sowing treatment to break seed dormancy was significantly dependent (p = 0.002) on the plant species. The effects due to interaction between pre-sowing seed treatment and plant species on seedling growth parameters (height, branches/shoot, leaves/shoot/, leaf area, fresh and dry weight) were significant (p < 0.05). These results provide the basis for the sustainable use of MPPs through propagation and conservation.

Key words: Medicinal-pesticidal plants, seed dormancy, pre-treatment, germination.