Maturity indices of Indian horse-chestnut (Aesculus indica Colebr.) seeds under temperate Kashmir conditions

Our study on maturity indices of Aesculus indica Colebr. seeds was conducted under temperate Kashmir conditions in 2006. Seed collection was started from 15 July and continued until the maturation of seeds in December. The seeds were harvested fortnightly from identified trees and on each collection date maturity indices, viz. seed color, seed weight, moisture content, seed dimension, specific gravity and germination percentage were recorded. The study revealed that at the time of maturity (Nov.-Dec.) the seed color was a shiny chocolate brown, with a moisture content of 58.37% and a specific gravity of 0.82. Germination was maximum (80%) at its maturity with a maximum seed weight of 52.03 g per seed. We recommend that the seeds should be collected before their natural disposal.