Effect of Soil Sodicity on Seed Germination of Different Tree Species

A nursery experiment was conducted in order to screen the suitable tree species under different soil pH levels during the year 2013-14 at Forest College and Research Institute- Mettupalayam. The impact of pH treatments (9.0, 9.5 and 10.0) on the germination was studied in thirteen multipurpose tree species viz. , Acacia auriculiformis, Acacia nilotica, Albizzia lebbeck, Albizzia procera, Azadirachta indica, Casuarina equisetifolia, Ceiba pentandra, Dalbergia sissoo, Eucalyptus tereticornis, Leucaena leucocephala, Pongammia pinnata, Prosopis juliflora and Tamarindus indica. A preliminary germination study indicated that, four species viz. , Acacia nilotica, Azadirachta indica, Prosopis juliflora and Tamarindus indica are highly tolerant species to sodicity because of their ability to germinate well in all the three soil pH levels. Further, Seven species viz. , Albizia lebbeck, Casuarina equisetifolia, Ceiba pentandra, Dalbergia sissoo, Eucalyptus tereticornis, Leucaena leucocephala and Pongamia pinnata which were able to germinate at least in two levels of soil pH (9.0 and 9.5) are registered as medium tolerant species to sodicity. Finally, two species viz. , Acacia auriculiformis and Albizia procera which were unable to record germination both at pH 9.5 and 10.0 were categorised as the least tolerant species to sodicity.