Lodewijkp

looking at the habitat of certain species wil give you a better understanding about the life cycle of that species : musa sikkimensis etc

Encarta:

The Himalayas influences the climate of the Indian subcontinent by sheltering it from the cold air mass of Central Asia. The range also exerts a major influence on monsoon and rainfall patterns. Within the Himalayas climate varies depending on elevation and location. Climate ranges from subtropical in the southern foothills, with average summer temperatures of about 30° C (about 86° F) and average winter temperatures of about 18° C (about 64° F); warm temperate conditions in the Middle Himalayan valleys, with average summer temperatures of about 25° C (about 77° F) and cooler winters; cool temperate conditions in the higher parts of the Middle Himalayas, where average summer temperatures are 15 to 18° C (59 to 64° F) and winters are below freezing; to a cold alpine climate at higher elevations, where summers are cool and winters are severe. At elevations above 4,880 m (16,000 ft) the climate is very cold with below freezing temperatures and the area is permanently covered with snow and ice. The eastern part of the Himalayas receives heavy rainfall; the western part is drier.

blueplanetbiomes.org:

Himalayan Alpine Climate
Alpine Climate (H)

The latitude range of the Himalayan climate is about 28 degrees to about 33 degrees north of the equator. The Himalayan Alpine climate varies according to the elevation. It gets colder as the elevation increases and gets wetter as the elevation drops. Because of this, the temperature changes very quickly. There are very sudden monsoons, floods, high winds, snowstorms and other types of precipitation, which makes the climate very dangerous.

The Alpine climate is similar to the climate of the biome surrounding it. For example, there are two different types of biomes on each side of the Himalayan mountains, therefore the climate on one side of these mountains is different from that on the other side.

The winter and summer are the main seasons in the Himalayan Alpine. In the winter it is usually always snowing with very icy temperatures. In the summer conditions are much milder, but throughout all of the months it is generally snowing.

The Himalayan Alpine climate is a harsh environment, therefore few animals and plants can live there. The few plants that do inhabit the Alpine consist of rhododendrons, the tea plant and shrub type plants. They have to adapt to the freezing temperatures, high winds and to a short growing season. That is why most of the plants grow low to the ground.

The mountain animals that are found in the Himalayan Alpine are similar to the mountain animals found in the surrounding biome. Some animals have adapted, such as the mountain goat, which has a thick coat for warmth and strong hooves for running up the rocky slopes.

Koppen¹s climate classification letter for the Alpine or Highland climate is H. The average temperature per year is around 47º Fahrenheit. This may not sound too cold, but temperatures can change rapidly. In the winter the average temperature is around 33° Fahrenheit. The lowest temperature reached was in the month of January, at 14° Fahrenheit. In the summer, temperatures average around 56° Fahrenheit. The highest temperature was reached in June

at 75° Fahrenheit.

The average precipitation reaches around 16 inches per year. In the summer there is around 3 inches of precipitation. In the winter there is about .5 inches of precipitation. Sleet, snow and rain are some forms of precipitation that falls in the Himalayan Alpine. Because of the melting

snow more drainage occurs in the summer than in the winter. However all year round the air is filled with some form of precipitation.

2001

bibliography:

"Climate Data for Lhasa, Tibet", http://www.onlineweather.com/China/climate/Lhasa.html (March 2000)

"Indian Seasons", http//www.internetindia.com/travelnotes/climate.html, (November 2000)

Greghen. "Plants and Animal Adaptations", http://members.triped.com/gregahn/mountains.html 1999

Strahler, A.N. Strahler, A.H. (1984) Elements of Physical Geography. New York: John Wiley & Sons. 1984

World Atlas. Rand Mackinly and Company 1999 Revised Edition

wikipedia.org:

Sikkim has many hot springs known for medicinal and therapeutic values. The most important hot springs are at Phurchachu (Reshi), Yumthang, Borang, Ralang, Taram-chu and Yumey Samdong. All these hot springs have high sulphur content and are located near river banks. The average temperature of the water in these hot springs is 50°C.


[edit] Climate
The climate ranges from sub-tropical in the south to tundra in the northern parts. Most of the inhabited regions of Sikkim, however, enjoy a temperate climate, with the temperatures seldom exceeding 28 °C (82 °F) in summer or dropping below 0 °C (32 °F) in winter. The state enjoys five seasons: winter, summer, spring, and autumn, and a monsoon season between June and September. The average annual temperature for most of Sikkim is around 18 °C (64 °F). Sikkim is one of the few states in India to receive regular snowfall. The snow line is around 6 000 metres (19,600 feet).

During the monsoon months, the state is lashed by heavy rains that increase the number of landslides. The state record for the longest period of non-stop rain is eleven days. In the northern region, because of high altitude, temperatures drop below −40 °C in winter. Fog also affects many parts of the state during winter and the monsoons, making transportation extremely perilous.[

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Lodewijkp

the temps in valley's wil be very cool, sikkimensis wil also be in temps reaching 0 - 5 C' or maybe lower at some spots

at first it seems that the seeds wil endure a light stratification and a long soaking period ( monsoon) the moisture and light seems to be fluctating alot.
The sun wil also be brighter far uphill and facing certain sides, there will be a warm period day and a cold- cooler spell at night.

it seems that the seeds wil endure light stratifications at almost each night.

in my opinion the seeds should be soaked in murky water with alot of organic material or burned material ( ash etc maybe material of a mature banana plant or fruits. i wil be trying this.

my point is to get creative and find a good way to germinate those seeds

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Lodewijkp

sikkimensis germination reviews
www.rarepalmseeds.com


... are not rated.
Put the seeds in water for two-three days as fast as possible after receiving. Change the water pretty often, at least once a day, but if you can change two or three times, that is better.The seeds are then sowed in a light soil mix, that is, soil added sand, vermiculite or perlite to make it more draining. It should be moist, but not wet. If the soil is very heavy, the seeds may rot easily. The box you're keeping the soil with the seeds, should have some holes to prevent mould and rot.For me, the first seeds germinated after a month, but some of the seeds will use up to three months or more.


... are easy to germinate and need up to 3 months to sprout.
Wow! It's almost like growing corn! Just planting them in seed starter mix in a shaded greenhouse they popped up in a little over a month. Temps over 100 degrees F during the day.


...easy to germinate and need up to 1 month to sprout.
i planted 100 seeds in seed compost 5.5.06 and 33 came upi put them in a progater in the greenhouseand during the day the tempatere was 30 - 35c and at night the progater was on and the tempatere was 20c


...easy to germinate and need up to 6 months to sprout.
I sowed 15 seed after 3 days soaking on 3rd May, placed in my shady greenhouse which gets sun in the morning (Lincoln England). Germination started after a cool spell in August, temps outside approx. 17C, night 10C, I kept the door open in the day. 4 germinated closely, pricked out and left rest in pot. 4 more germinated late September, also pricked out. The rest are now in my dark cupboard with central heating pump, waiting to see if I get more. The plants are overwintering in the spare bedroom below East facing window and still growing, first lot stem 12 to 18", 2nd lot still small, about 6". One of the first lot developed purple midrib and flush under leaf when a little larger than the 2nd.


...very easy to germinate and need up to 1 month to sprout.
soaked the seeds for 24 hours and sowed them in a miniature greenhouse kept at 25°C first ones sprouted after 3 weeks. had a germination rate of 100%


...difficult to germinate and need up to 1 month to sprout.
soaked seed in water for three days changing water every day. lightly scarified seed coat on a peice of 120 grit sand paper. soaked for an additional day. removed from water and sterilized in 10% bleach and water solution for 10 minutes. placed them in slightly damp vermiculite and sealed them in plastic bags. kept them where the temp. remains between 25-30 C day and night. received 10% germination after one month and will continue to wait for more


...easy to germinate and need up to 3 months to sprout.
Bought 15 seed and placed in a sealed plastic bag of damp, sterile moss peat. Placed in propagator at 30 degrees C. First germination after 3 weeks. Have 5 sprouted after 2 months. Fast growing once germinated. 2 sprouts very dark green, other 3 light yellowish green.

...easy to germinate and need up to 1 month to sprout.
Soaked seeds for 24 hrs, potted in peat compost in 3" pot and placed in plastic bag. 7 days later they sprouted, grew 3" the first day.


...not rated.
Hello, here’s some additional data on the Darjeeling Banana, Musa sikkimensis. It does take cold as well as heat. Here in the USA zone 7B, Mississippi, I started one in 2002 and it got about 10 feet (3 m) tall the first season. I intentionally left it unprotected to see if it indeed took cold. Our coldest temperature was 9°F (-13°C) with a good dozen or more nights into the teens. I thought it was a “goner” but the banana woke up the first week in May and never missed a step, going to 16 feet (5 m) tall and a near 18 inch (46 cm) trunk base in 2003 before the first frost of 22°F (-5°C) in late November sent it into dormancy. The traditional Mississippi summer heat did not phase it a bit. It did not flower but that’s OK with me. The foliage, which is so palm tree like, is what I like. So many of our visitors this year were just amazed by the plant and so am I. It’s still hard to imagine a banana that takes cold. This winter the bananas trunk is encased by a chicken wire cage filled with leaves and pine straw. Your customers will be delighted with this banana. It is a winner!


...very easy to germinate and need up to 1 month to sprout.
Soaked seeds for 24 hours, rinsed with fresh water and placed on germinating bed. I use a mix of 1/3 rich top soil, 1/3 bonemeal, 1/3 vermiculite. laid out seeds on bed, covered with spahgnum moss and a light layer of the mixture to keep the moss damp over the seeds. Water daily, after 3 weeks 90% are up out of 100 seeds.


...very difficult to germinate.
Soaked seeds for a day and put in plastic bags with cocohum. Kept at room temperature on top of shelf. No luck after six months. Will try stratification next time.


...very difficult to germinate and need up to 6 months to sprout.
Poor germination. 2 out of 100 so far. 3 months since I started. The usual seed soaking in tepid water for 3-4 days but no luck as yet


...easy to germinate and need up to 3 months to sprout.
Within 6 weeks, 2 out of 5 seeds germinated at room temp: 70F day, 60 night.


...difficult to germinate and need up to 1 month to sprout.
I planted 30 seeds. I knicked the seed coats and soaked them in water for 3 days. Only 6 of them germinated after 1 month. The seedlings grew to about 3 feet the first season. I had 3 plain green leafed forms and 3 with mottled red foliage. The mottled ones seem to grow faster. The second year they reached 6 feet. They made it fine through the winter here in Atlanta Ga. They are currently sprouting new leaves 4/10/02 outside and have multiple suckers.


...very easy to germinate and need up to 1 month to sprout.
Soaked for two days, and put in Tupperware container filled with moist perlite at 30C. First germinating started after 1 week. Within the second week the others germinated to.


...easy to germinate and need up to 1 month to sprout.
I started with 10 seeds which I soaked in water for 5 days. I then put the seeds into a plastic bag with some moist compost and sealed the bag. I left them while in my greenhouse without any additional heat for a month last August. When I opened the bag in September six had germinated which I potted up and I discarded the other 4. The plants are now in my conservatory and are approx. 10' tall.

...difficult to germinate and need up to 1 month to sprout.
First year with this species, I utilized 50 seeds lightly filed seed shell and soaked in water for 2 days. I then an in sterile medium and around 1.5 months 3 germinations. These are now vigorously growing in my zone 7b yard. Following year repeated same exercise with zero germination.


...easy to germinate and need up to 1 month to sprout.
Seeds are soaked for three days in fresh water and some weak fungicide. Seeds are then placed in sterile medium and exposed to high temperatures 35C (95F). The high temperatures dramatically improve results. Expect the first to germinate within two weeks with others to follow for another month. There seems no point in keeping those not germinated at this stage.It is not worth buying this species in small numbers, at least 50 seeds should be obtained to ensure many plants. They are very vigorous once germinated.


...difficult to germinate and need up to 3 months to sprout.
I started out with 6 seeds of this species. Nicked the outer casing and soaked for 24 hours and then kept them in a propagator with bottom heat. Only got one seed to germinate.

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Lodewijkp

i found some additional info, there are alot of salt sources in some of those regions. those salts contain more Fluoride & Iodine then normal salts

also found an article about micro organisms:

Pandey, Anita and Palni, L.M.S. 1998. Microbes in Himalayan soils: Biodiversity and potential applications. Journal of Scientific & Industrial Research, 57: 668-673. Environmental Physiology and Biotechnology, G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora 263 643, India. [FUNGAL ISOLATE; MICROORGANISM; NITROGEN FIXATION; SOIL MICROBES]

Microbial analyses of soil samples from three altitudes, viz. Kamrang, 1200 m; Chamgaon, 1600 m and Jaubari, 1990 m amsl, in Mamlay watershed, Sikkim are reported. Three groups of microorganisms, viz. actinomycetes, fungi and bacteria (including Pseudomonas, Bacillus and a pigmented group of bacteria) are taken into consideration. In general, microbial populations decreased with increasing altitude. In the case of bacteria and actinomycetes, a sharp and statistically significant decline is recorded (P <0.05) between Chamgaon and Jaubari. Bacillus, a group of endospore forming bacteria, does not show much difference in the number of colony forming units for the tree elevations. Pseudomonas and other pigmented bacterial populations increase with the increasing altitude, probably indicating their adaptability to higher altitudes. A large number of microbial species have been isolated, are being maintained, and studied for various properties, e.g. antimicrobial activity, phosphate solubilising and N-fixing ability. These soils seem to have a great potential for screening efficient strains of microorganisms having antimicrobial and phosphate solubilising properties, especially those adapted to the higher altitudes. For example, a fungal isolate, Paecilomyces lilacinus has shown a higher degree of phosphate solubilising activity at 10o than at 24oC. Similarly, amongst bacteria a number of Pseudomonas strains are found to be well adapted to higher altitude soils and have exhibited antifungal, phosphate solubilising and plant growth promoting properties. Some of the strains of Pseudomonas are able to grow at 4oC and also have N-fixing ability, albeit lower than the well known N-fixing bacteria. A through understanding of biodiversity of soil microbes of the Himalayan region is likely to lead to several potential applications for enhancement of plant performances in the hilly regions. Some of the isolates are being tested as possible inoculants for plants grown in the hills.

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Tropicallvr

Lotsa interesting info there thanks for sharing the climate of the himilayas. The only part that doesn't seem right on is the "light stratification"(said this before).
I did notice that I had better luck with sprouting Musa sikkimensis outside in the spring, as opposed to inside on heat mat.