TITLE:
Seed Biology of Berberis manipurana Ahrendt: A Threatened Natural Dye Yielding Plant
AUTHORS:
Chitta Ranjan Deb, Tsatingmong Lirola Sangtam, Nangshimeren Sakutemsu Jamir
KEYWORDS:
Berberis Manipurana, Dye Yielding Plant, Seed Propagation
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.8 No.6,
May
23,
2017
ABSTRACT: Barberry has played a
prominent role in herbal healing for more than 2500 years. Most of the berberis species have medicinal
uses because of the presence of alkaloid “berberine” an isoquinoline alkaloid.
The root and inner bark are also used for yellow dyeing of clothes. The
objective of the present study was to evaluate the seed dormancy, effect of
stratification, light conditions and planting bed quality on seed germination
of berberis manipurana seeds.
A set of freshly processed seeds were sowed in three light conditions i.e., normal
light (~5000 lux), poly house ca. 50% shade (~2500 lux) and poly house ca. 75%
shade (~1250 lux). In the laboratory, half of the collected seeds were packed
in plastic bags, labeled and stored at 4°C (stratification treatment); another half was stored at room temperature of 25°C.
Stratified seeds from both the conditions (4°C and 25°C) were
sowed in the seed bed at 15 days interval till 120th day (0 - 120 days) to check the
viability and germination behaviors. Highest germination rate was observed from
seeds stored at 4°C, which registered 82.5% (1.5) germination in the
poly-bags against 70% (2.5) from seeds stored at 25°C. While 69% (2.0)
and 56% (1.5) seeds germinated in the seeds beds from seeds stratified at 4°C
and 25°C respectively.