Seed Germination in Blood Fruit (Haematocarpus validus (Miers.) Bakh. f. ex Forman) as Influenced by Substrate

Blood fruit is a tropical underutilized species, fruits of which have been identified as source of natural colourant. However, forests are the major source of fruits to native people. In order to conserve the natural population of this species and promote cultivation, nursery techniques need to be standardized. In the present investigation, effect of three substrates viz. vermicompost, sand and soil + vermicompost was studied on seed germination characteristics. Results revealed significant differences among the treatments. Use of vermicompost improved seed germination (69%) significantly over the other substrates used. Though most of the studied seedling growth parameters did not differ among the treatments, significantly highest seedling vigour index (5466.9) was recorded when vermicompost was used as substrate. Considering these findings, use of vermicompost is advisable for germination of blood fruit in nursery.