Evaluate the Impact of Pre-Sowing Treatments on Seed Germination of Cassia fistula L.

Cassia fistula L., a forest species with hard seed coat-induced dormancy, was studied to assess the impact of chemical pre-sowing treatments on germination and early seedling growth. Using a Completely Randomized Design with 10 treatments, the study tested GA₃ (250, 500 and 700 ppm), H₂SO₄ (250, 500 and 700 ppm), KNO₃ (2, 4 and 6%) treatments, and a control. The highest germination rate (73.33%) was observed with GA₃ 500 ppm, followed by GA₃ 700 ppm (63.33%) and H₂SO₄ 250 ppm (60.00%), while the control showed the lowest(10%). KNO₃ (4%) led to the fastest emergence (5.67 days) but had poor survival. GA₃ 500 ppm and H₂SO₄ 250 ppm also showed better shoot, root, and leaf development at 30, 60, and 90 DAS. Overall, GA₃ 500 ppm and H₂SO₄ 250 ppm proved most effective in breaking dormancy and enhancing seedling vigor, making them suitable for large-scale propagation of Cassia fistula.