본 연구는 식 약용 등 여러 방면에서 활용성이 높은 멀구슬나무 종자의 저장방법, 온도조건 및 전처리에 따른 발아특성을 구명하고자 하였다. 종자 저장방법 중에서는 노천매장 조건에서 가장 높은 발아율을 나타내어 난저장성 종자로 추정되었다. 적정 발아온도 조건은 35℃로 나타났으며, 항온조건 보다는 변온조건이 발아에 더 효과적이었다. 또한, 종피파상 및 발아촉진제를 처리한 결과, 파상처리 및 GA3 100 ppm 및 KNO3 1.0% 처리시 발아특성이 증진되었다. 이상의 결과로 보아 난저장성인 멀구슬나무 종자는 변온처리 및 파상처리와 발아촉진제 처리에 영향을 받는 것으로 나타났으나 저장방법, 온도조건 및 전처리의 복합처리에 대한 발아특성이 구명되지 않았으므로 이들의 복합처리에 따른 결과를 도출하여 묘목생산시 활용하여야 할 것이다.
This study was performed to investigate the effects of storage, temperature, and pre-treatments on the germination of Melia azedarach seeds collected from Buan, Jeonju, and Jeju provenance. M. azedarach seeds stored with or without pericarp in the ground, which collected from Buan provenance evidenced the highest germination percentage (PG, %) and the shortest time to first germination (days). The seeds collected from Jeonju and Jeju provenance were placed at both six continuous temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40℃) and two alternating temperatures (20→30℃ and 25→35℃) for seed incubation. The results showed a significant effect for temperature of seed incubation. The seeds incubated at 35℃ had the highest PG among the continuous temperatures and germinated significantly more at the two alternating temperatures than at 35℃. Concerning mean germination time (MGT), the seeds incubated at 35℃ evidenced the shortest germinations among the continuous temperatures while those at the alternating temperatures germinated for a shorter period than those at 35℃. The germination rate (GR) and germination performance index (GPI) were similar to PG. The seeds collected from Jeonju provenance were treated using five pre-sowing treatments (scarification, scarifcation+GA3, scarification+KNO3, GA3, and KNO3) prior to the germination experiments. Compared with the intact seeds (control), most of the pre-treatments were significantly (especially scarification+GA3 100 ppm and scarification+KNO3 1.0%) higher in PG, GR, and GPI, as well as shorter in MGT.