V.S.G.R. Naidu, Seema Paroha, N.T.Yaduraju and Siddarth Nayak
Abstract
Lab and pot experiments were conducted to study the germination and viability of Partheniumhysterophorus seeds. The fresh seeds of Parthenium were kept in nylon net bags and were subjected to running water for different durations of time i.e. 0 'hour (fresh seeds), 4 hours, 8, hours 24 hours, 28 hours, 32 hours and 48 hours. The germination was tested on filter paper in petridishes and in sandy and clayey soils in pots. The % germination was increased with increased duration of time under water flow and the seeds germinated within the nylon bags after 48 hours of running water treatment. The percent germination was enhanced due to the removal of toxicants from the seed by running water. This observation was confirmed by the germination tests under sandy and clayey soils in pots. The germination % of fresh seeds was higher in sandy soil (76%) than in clayey soil (5%) probably because of the leaching out of toxicant easily in the sandy soil. The seed samples from the above running water treatments were stored for testing viability, and the washed seeds were loosing viability with the progress of the time under storage and they were no longer viable beyond 40 days.