DOES ACORN WEIGHT INFLUENCE GERMINATION AND SUBSEQUENT SEEDLING GROWTH OF CENTRAL HIMALAYAN OAKS?

The effect of acorn weight on germination and subsequent seedling performance in terms of survival, growth and dry matter accumulation was studied for two important central Himalayan oak species, Quercus leucotrichophora (Banj oak) and Q. semecarpifolia (Kharsu oak). A wide variation in acorn size and fresh weight existed within these species and germination was found to be correlated with acorn weight. The larger acorns showed higher germination (65.6 and 53.3% for Q. leucotrichophora and Q. semecarpifolia respectively) compared with medium and smaller acorns. Higher survival and height increment was recorded in seedlings that emerged from larger acorns for both the species, in comparison to medium and smaller acorns. Dry matter accumulation in seedlings derived from acorns of different weight classes was significantly different for various components. Total mass for seedlings derived from larger acorns was about 45 and 31% higher for Q. leucotrichophora and Q. semecarpifolia respectively, compared with seedlings obtained from acorns of medium weight. Relative growth rate of seedlings was found to increase with increasing acorn weight and seedling shoot height, whereas a reverse trend was recorded for stem height:stem dry mass ratio. This study has implications for the forestry plantation programmes. Pengaruh berat akorn terhadap percambahan dan seterusnya prestasi anak benih dari segi kemandirian, pertumbuhan dan pengumpulan jirim kering dikaji untuk dua spesies oak Himalaya tengah yang penting iaitu Quercus leucotrichophora (oak Banj) dan Q. semecarpifolia (oak Kharsu). Terdapat variasi yang besar dalam saiz akorn dan berat basah kedua-dua spesies ini dan percambahan didapati berkait dengan berat akorn. Akorn yang lebih besar menunjukkan percambahan yang lebih tinggi (masing-masing 65.6 dan 53.5% untuk Q. leucotrichophora dan Q. semecarpifolia) berbanding akorn bersaiz sederhana dan kecil. Pertambahan kemandirian dan ketinggian bagi kedua-dua spesies paling tinggi dalam anak benih yang tumbuh daripada akorn besar berbanding akorn sederhana dan kecil. Pengumpulan jirim kering dalam anak benih yang tumbuh daripada akorn berlainan kelas berat adalah berbeza secara bererti untuk pelbagai komponen. Jumlah jisim anak benih yang tumbuh daripada akorn besar adalah masing-masing lebih kurang 45 dan 31% lebih tinggi untuk Q. leucotrichophora dan Q. semecarpifolia berbanding anak benih daripada akorn yang sederhana beratnya. Kadar pertumbuhan relatif anak benih me