EFFECT OF SOWING MEDIA ON GERMINATION OF Aquilaria crassna PIERRE SEEDS

Abstract

Effect of sowing media on germination of Aquilaria crassna Pierre seeds was investigated under nursery conditions at the Central Forest Seed Centre, Muak-lek, Saraburi. There were eleven sowing media/treatments with four replications. These treatments were top soil, fine sand, carbonized rice husk, coconut husk, top soil mixed with fine sand (1:1), top soil mixed with carbonized rice husk (1:1), top soil mixed with coconut husk (1:1), fine sand mixed with carbonized rice husk (1:1), fine sand mixed with coconut husk (1:1), carbonized rice husk mixed with coconut husk (1:1) and top soil mixed with fine sand, carbonized rice husk, and coconut husk (1:1:1:1). Seed germination was daily recorded after sowing for 30 days. Total seed germination percentage (TG), values of rate of germination (R50), germination value (GV) and germination index (GI) were calculated. Results from this study revealed that TG, R50, GV and GI of A.crassna seeds in the eleven media were non-significant different. Moreover, different chemical and physical properties of these media did not clearly affect to seed germination. Less water holding capacity of sowing medium, however, may affect to seed germination. Therefore, it may be concluded that all these media did not affect to seed germination of the species. Each medium can be selected for sowing seed of this species. It is recommended to select top soil mixed with coconut husk, coconut husk and carbonized rice husk as sowing media of A.crassna seeds.