Reliable Physical Parameters for Determining Fruit/Seed Maturity Timing of Ficus semicordata Buch. in Kumaun Region of Central Himalaya

Wild edible plants play an important role as food supplements during scarcity for local inhabitants. Ficus semicordata is commonly known as drooping fig. Plant parts are used for medicinal purposes. It is a common agroforestry tree in the Himalayan region growing from 750 to 1500 m elevation. The present study was carried out to assess the exact time of seed and fruit maturation and germination of F. semicordata in Nainital district of Kumaun Himalaya across 3 sites during two consecutive years 2017 and 2018. Fruit of F. semicordata were collected from the marked trees from all the sites till the availability of the fruits. Across all the sites the mean fruit size varied between 190.24 ± 0.46 and 395.14 ±3.56.14 mm² in Yr-1 and 135.56 ±3.69 to 516.86 ±1.26 mm² in Yr-2. Across both the sites the colour change from green to pinkish brown appears as one of the indicator of maturity. In addition to the colour fruit moisture content between 50.25±0.58% and 62.73±2.30% coincided with maximum germination (48.0±0.06% and 85± 4.61%).