Yourmila Kumari1, Garima, M.K. Thakur, Aruna Mehta1 Kashish Walia and Meera Devi
Abstract
The study conducted during 2023-2024 in Thunag, Himachal Pradesh, India, aimed to optimize seed size and pre-sowing treatments to enhance the germination and growth of Sapindus mukorossi (Gaertn) seedlings. Among the three seed categories, the large-sized seeds (D3) demonstrated significantly higher germination rates (91.25%), the shortest time to initiate germination (29.22 days), and the shortest time to complete germination (69.15 days), along with superior seedling growth and biomass attributes. Among the five pre-sowing treatments, treatment (T4) resulted in the highest germination rate (85.25%), the fewest days to initiate germination (31.33 days) and the shortest time to complete germination (71.11 days). Treatment (T4) also led to the maximum seedling growth and biomass, closely followed by treatment T3. Conversely, the small-sized seeds and the control treatment (T1) exhibited poor germination and growth attributes throughout the study period.