Seed Germination of Coscinium fenestratum (Gaertn.) colebr. - a critically endangered medicinal plant of Western Ghats

Abstract

Coscinium fenestratum (Gaertn.) colebr. a critically endangered medicinal liana of Western Ghats, is a potential substitute of Berberis chitria for its berberin content. The destructive harvest of the plant over a period for both stem and root has resulted in the scarcity of reproductive individuals in their distributional range and subsequent arrest of natural regeneration. The present study is therefore conducted to raise the genetic stock of the species by enhancing the seed germination percentage through the application of high humidity, temperature and wet sowing medium at field conditions. The seeds sowed in wet river sand inside a poly tunnel having 72-80% RH and 32-38oC, resulted 85% seed germination and 15-20% of seeds have maintained their viability period up to 10-12 months. In normal climatic condition only 40% total germination were noted. These methods could be a very effective technique for a lay-man to propagate maximum number of this highly potential species from its available seed stock.