Effect of Direct Sowing and Stratification on Germination and Growth of Peach under Sub-tropical Climate of Uttar Pradesh.

Background: Availability of quality planting materials is the major impediment in extension of cultivation of low chilling peach in northern plans. Plum suckers are mostly used as rootstocks for raising peach; however nematode infestation is a major problem. Seeds of all peach cultivars do not germinate under subtropical climate of plains of Northern India. Hence, an experiment was carried out at ICAR-CISH, Lucknow on seed germination and subsequent growth of seedlings of low chilling peaches. Methods: Fully mature seeds of peach cv. Florda Prince, Pant Peach 1 and Sharbati were collected during June. Some of the seeds were sown direct in-situ during 1st week of December and remaining seeds were sown in the field after 2 months of stratification in the refrigerator at 7-8°C. Result: Stratification had significant effect on seed germination and late matured peach cv. 'Sharbati' exhibited higher seed germination. Good linear seedling growth and maximum percentage of buddable seedlings was found in stratified sown seeds of 'Sharbati' peach. Thus the study indicated that harvesting of 'Sharbati' and 'Pant Peach-1' seeds can be done during June and pre-sown stratification is necessary for better germination and growth of seedlings under subtropical climate of Lucknow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]