Effect of growing media on seed germination and seedling growth in Magnolia gustavii, a Critically Endangered tree species

Abstract

The experiments were carried out to study the effect of growing media on seed germination and seedling growth of Magnolia gustavii King. – accredited as a Critically Endangered tree species naturally occurring in Assam, India. The trials were conducted in Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with three (03) different treatments with different combinations viz. T1 – Soil: Sand (1:1), T2 – Coarse Sand and T3 – Soil: Sand: FYM (1:1:1). The seed germination data were recorded on a daily basis and germination parameters viz.- final germination percentage (FGP), mean germination time (MGT), first day of germination (FDG), last day of germination (LDG), coefficient of velocity of germination (CVG), germination rate index (GRI), germination index (GI), time spread of germination (TSG), and peak value of mean germination (PVMG) were estimated and data were statistically analyzed. Synergistic weightage given to all the parameters led to the conclusion that Coarse Sand is the most appropriate medium with respect to seed germination and seedling vigour in M. gustavii King.