Enhancing Germination in Recalcitrant Jamun Seeds through Post-Harvest Treatments and Cold Storage

Abstract

The present investigation was conducted during 2024–2025 at the Experimental Farm, School of Agriculture, Galgotias University, to evaluate the effect of storage conditions and container treatments on the viability and germination of Jamun (Syzygium cumini Skeels) seeds. The experiment was laid out in a Factorial Completely Randomized Design (FCRD) with two storage conditions (ambient, 25–30°C; cold, 5°C) and six container treatments: polybag, polybag + charcoal powder (20 g/kg seed), polybag + carbendazim (2 g/kg seed), polybag + sawdust (0.5 kg/kg seed), polybag + Trichoderma harzianum (10 g/kg seed), and paper bag (control). Observations were recorded at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90 days after extraction (DAE) for germination initiation, 50% germination, complete germination, and germination percentage. Results revealed that cold-stored seeds treated with polybag + Trichoderma harzianum and polybag + carbendazim consistently outperformed other treatments, showing the earliest germination initiation (13.99 and 14.47 days, respectively), fast est 50% germination (15.79 and 16.74 days), and highest germination percentage (82.45% and 83.76% at 0 DAE, maintaining 75.66% and 78.56% at 90 DAE). Ambient-stored seeds, particularly in paper bags and sawdust, showed rapid decline in viability, failing to germinate after 45 DAE. The findings highlight the importance of low-temperature storage combined with protective seed treatments in expending the viability and improving germination performance of recalcitrant Jamun seeds.