Factors affecting seed germination and establishment of critically endangered Aquilaria malaccensis (Thymelaeaceae)

The recalcitrant seeds of Aquilaria malaccensis Lamk. possess short viability period. Nursery trials were conducted to examine the effect of storage periods (four treatments) and light intensity (three treatments) on Aquilaria seed germination and growth. The maximum germination was obtained with fresh sown seeds (92.0 %) followed by 5 days (39.6 %) and 10 days (4.0 %) stored seeds. No germination took place in 15 days stored seeds at all. The light intensities/shade tolerance capacity of Aquilaria seeds was assessed during germination by using polynets single and double layers as compare to control. The maximum germination (78.0%) obtained under double layer polynet shade (DLPS) as compare to single layer polynet shade (SLPS) and control (75.0 % & 63.8 % respectively). The significant correlation (p < 0.05) was observed between seed moisture content and seeds germination percentage. The growth parameters like plant height, leaf area, plumule and radical length were also higher under DLPS. Direct light as well as storage of seeds even for few days reduce seed germination and seedling growth considerably; hence serve as main stressing factors for regeneration of A. malaccensis plant in field. These findings may be useful for raising seedlings at large scale for Aquilaria plantation programme in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, India.

Author(s): Tasso Tabin and Karuna Shrivastava

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