Toona ciliata (red cedar) is a fast-growing deciduous tree valued for its quality timber, medicinal properties and ecological functions such as soil conservation and carbon sequestration. It is widely distributed across South and Southeast Asia and adapts well to diverse agro-climatic conditions. The present study was conducted at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu, to evaluate seedling performance of T. ciliata derived from candidate plus trees (CPTs) collected from subtropical and subtemperate regions of Jammu and Kashmir. Under controlled nursery conditions, progenies were assessed for germination, survival, growth traits (seedling height, collar diameter and root length), biomass accumulation and seedling quality. Considerable variability was recorded among CPTs, with germination ranging from 25.54–96.67 % and survival from 59.08–87.23 %, indicating strong scope for the selection of superior genotypes. CPT-2 and CPT-21 performed best in terms of germination and survival, while CPT-2 also showed superior growth and biomass production, identifying it as a promising genotype. The study highlights the importance of selecting elite CPTs to improve nursery performance and plantation success. It is recommended that superior progenies, particularly CPT-2, be promoted for large-scale propagation and further field evaluation to support the genetic improvement and sustainable utilisation of T. ciliata.
