Para taxonomic characters and seed germination behaviour in three varieties of Coix lacryma jobi L.

Job's tear, a potential energy source, is widely used as folk medicine for the treatment of tumours and gastrointestinal problems. The present investigations on wild and cultivated species of Coix received at National Genebank for long term conservation were done to develop dormancy breaking protocols. Based on qualitative seed morphological characters, the species status of one accession was validated as wild Coix, Coix lacryma jobi var. stenocarpa. Of the eight different scarification treatments, 100% acid treatment for 120 min. was recorded maximum germination in two wild species Coix lacryma jobi var. lacryma jobi and Coix lacryma jobi var. stenocarpa while 50% acid treatment for 30 min. gave maximum germination in cultivated species, Coix lacryma jobi var. mayuen. After breaking dormancy, seedling were well established in fields. Thus, for better utilization of this species removal of seed dormancy is essential and this dormancy breaking protocol will be of great use in future for utilization of Coix species.