Study on the Effects of Various Pre-Sowing Treatments on Seed Germination and Growth of Chironji under Agroforestry Systems in Jabalpur (M.P.)

Buchanania cochinchinensis (Chironji) is a high-value wild fruit tree species increasingly threatened by unsustainable harvesting, poor seed germination due to its hard seed coat and ecological degradation. This study assessed the impact of various pre-sowing treatments on seed germination and early seedling growth, followed by evaluation under different agroforestry systems. The experiment was conducted from 2022 to 2025 at the ICFRE-Tropical Forest Research Institute, Jabalpur, using six pre-sowing treatments: T1 (Control), T2 (Cow dung), T3 (Cow urine), T4 (H₂SO₄ 5%), T5 (GA₃ 250 ppm) and T6 (Mechanical scarification), laid out in a CRD with three replications. Germination traits and post-emergence growth parameters were recorded. Seedlings from the best-performing treatment (T6) were transplanted into eight agroforestry models with varying spacings and intercrops (maize, cowpea, kalmegh) using a Randomized Block Design. Mechanical scarification (T6) significantly improved germination rate, uniformity and survival. Among agroforestry systems, wider spacing (AF8: Sole Chironji at 8×8 m) showed superior growth performance, followed by AF7 and AF6. The findings highlight mechanical scarification as an effective low-cost technique to improve Chironji propagation and suggest that wider spacing in agroforestry enhances long-term growth and establishment.