Germiation,growth and biomass accumulation as influenced by seed size in Mesua ferrea L.

Abstract

Mesua ferrea I. was evaluated for its germination, seedling growth and biomass across four seed size classes. The production of two- and three-seeded fruits was high. The viability of the seeds was 58-81%. Germination was positively correlated with seed weight. Heavier seeds showed early and rapid germination. The contribution of leaves to total biomass yield was 27-60% in 1 -month old seedlings. Carbon content was also related with plant length and weight in the seedlings. The study concludes that the variations in seed size have a substantial influence on growth and biomass accumulation in Mesua ferrea. Such variation also helps in the physiology and regeneration of the tree species.