Seed Biology of <i>Berberis manipurana</i> Ahrendt: A Threatened Natural Dye Yielding Plant

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 120 th 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.