Effect of Crown Position on Cone, Seed and Germination Characteristics in Blue Pine (Pinus wallichiana, A.B. Jacks)

Effect of crown position study revealed that the cone length (22.14 cm), cone diameter (2.88 cm), number of fertile scales/cone (130.02), total number of scales/cone (141.58), number of seeds/cone (254.04) and weight of seeds/cone (13.04 g) were highest for the cones which were collected from middle crown. The seed length (11.80 mm), width (5.02 mm), thickness (2.99 mm), fresh (5.35 g) and dry weight of 100 seed (4.07 g) were also found maximum of seeds from middle crown. Seed germination was also maximum (68.25 %) from middle crown cones under laboratory condition and was significantly higher than the germination of seeds of lower crown. The germination value differed significantly only with the germination value of seed of lower crown but germination value and speed of germination differed significantly with lowerand upper crown. The maximum germination, germination value, germination index and speed of germination under nursery condition were obtained from the seeds of middle crown but the value of these parameters was less than the values obtained under controlled conditions. The collar diameter and shoot length obtained from the seed collected from middle crown showed a significant difference with the collar diameter and shoot length of lower crown position. However, the seedling dry weight from middle crown differed significantly from upper as well as lower crown position.