Seeds of Tectona grandis L. f were given eleven presowing treatments to study the germination and initial seedling growth in the nursery of the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, Chittagong University. Bangladesh. The results revealed that seeds soaked in concentration H2SO4 for seven minutes followed by cold water washing (T5) provide the highest germination (51.33%). This was followed by 48% and 44% germination in seeds treated with concentration H2SO4 for five minutes (T4) and soaking the seeds in cold water for 48 hours following wet pit storage for 12 days (T1) respectively. Significantly lowest germination (18.67%) was obtained for the control treatment (TO). Highest germination value (4 52) and germination energy (47.33) was also obtained for T5 treatment. Similarly, the seedling height, root length, collar diameter and leaf number followed the same trend of higher value of T5 and T4 treatments respectively following T1 treatments. Similar trends were also found in shoot, root and total seedling dry weight, seedling vigor index and seedling quality index Therefore, presowing treatments of T5 and T4 (seeds soaked in concentration H2SO4 for seven minutes or five minutes followed by cold water washing) or, T1 (soaking the seeds in cold water for 48 hours following storage in wet pit for 12 days) may be recommended for the maximum germination and quality seedling production of T. grandis in the nursery.

Key words: Presowing treatments, germination, teak, seeding growth, quality index.