Deforestation and forest degradation are the biggest threats to our forests. Afforestation is one way to sustain life and combat global warming. Unfortunately, high cost and hazard factors in handling of tree saplings and initial care after planting affect the success rate of afforestation projects. Seed ball technique is effective for propagating plants from seeds because the seeds are protected from external stress and predation. The present experiment investigated the applicability of this technique in afforestation programmes at three different locations for the establishment of subabul (Leucaena leucocephala), a tree fodder, which is a major source of grazing for forest animals. Seed balls was prepared using red soil and vermicompost at a ratio of 2:1 and mixed with 230-250 mL of water per kg of medium. Seed balls protected the seeds from biotic and abiotic stresses and the vermicompost provided nutrients and growth hormones which greatly improved the establishment and survival rate of subabul. Seed ball technique is recommended for forest regeneration and re-greening the earth surface.

Pterocarpus santalinus is valued for its heavy, dark claret-red heartwood which possesses indomitable challenges in seed propagation. This study was conducted to improve seed germination in red sanders. Seeds and fruits were collected from the elite trees of Vellore district, Tamil Nadu to elicit information on the pod, seed germination and its improvement methods. Freshly collected and harvested seeds had poor germination (33%) with germination period ranging between 14 to 53 days. The poor and staggered germinability of red sander was due to the presence of phenolic compounds and hormonal imbalance in pod and seed respectively. Significant increase in germination percentage with reduced germination period was observed when seeds were soaked for 48 hours and changing the water every 12 hours, followed by soaking in 500 ppm of GA 3 for 12 hours. These combination of soaking the red sander seeds in water followed by GA 3 can be employed for early synchronised higher germination.

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Background: Groundnut were mainly cultivated under rain fed condition, lack of initial seedling quality due to lower moisture conditions, it causes reduced crop yield and in sometimes it leads to crop failure. In order to overcome this problems, effective seed enhancement techniques as seed coating plays major role in maintaining the seed quality. Methods: The controlled release of bioactive molecules namely hormones gibberellic acid (GA3) as a smart delivery system can be achieved through seed coating in groundnut by exploiting advanced nanotechnology. Infusion of active ingredients as hormones (GA3) through the seed coating formulation by nano formulation methods. At nano level it influences the effects at higher level and gives best results through controlled release of hormones without any loss. Result: Due to nano formulation coating in groundnut, seeds had an effective results in all the parameters viz., imbibition rate (48%), speed of germination (5.5), germination percentage (87%), seedling length (24.7 cm), vigour index (2142), hydrolysing enzymes (α-amylase14.83 and lipase 1.481), which significantly differs from untreated seeds. Hence, it was concluded that the GA3 infused nano formulation coating at 15 ml per kilogram of seed can be used for seed quality improvement in groundnut for better seedling establishment.

Fodder sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) is a tall, erect annual grass. It is a drought resistant crop due to its effective root system. A seed ball is one of the low-cost technologies which was prepared with locally available materials on the farm. In seed balls, the seeds are protected from external factors. At the same time, vigorous seedling was established through seed ball. In order to improve the degraded lands with green cover, the following experiment was framed and carried out. Seed balls were prepared with a combination of red soil and vermicompost at different ratios with 230-250ml of water per kg of medium to get an optimum size and quality. After the preparation, seed balls were shade dried for 24-36 hrs. Among the different ratio of media combinations, 2:1 and 4:2 ratio was found to be the best media for seed balls preparation with good physical and physiological qualities. The maximum seedling quality parameters speed of germination (7.6), germination (98%), root length (10.6 cm), shoot length (19.4 cm) and vigour index (2900) obtained in the present study were due to vermicompost, which contained an optimum concentration of nutrients that helped improve the seedling vigour. This experiment confirmed that using seed balls with best media combinations for the regeneration of degraded lands was very effective.