Effect of Pre-sowing Seed Treatments on Physiological Potential of Seed Germination in Okra

Aims: The present investigation was carried out at SKUAST-Kashmir during the year 2020 to improve the seed vigour and germination potential of okra through pre-sowing seed treatments.

Study Design: The experiment was laid in completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications

Place and Duration of Study: The present investigation was carried out at the division of Basic Sciences and Humanities, SKUAST-Kashmir during the year 2020

Methodology: There were nine pre-sowing seed treatments comprised of simple seed soaking and seed priming with water (T1 and T5), -1.0MPa solution of PEG (T2 and T6), 100ppm solution of GA3 (T3 and T7) and 1.5% solution of KH2PO4 (T4 and T8), respectively along with untreated control (T0). Fifty seeds of each treatment were cultured in 14.0cm Petri dishes lined with 10 layers of moist filter paper. Observations on various germination parameters were recorded at (25±2°C).

Results: Findings of the study revealed that seed soaking in water (T1) resulted in maximum FGP (93.3%) and GI (16.29) compared to other treatments. Discrete middling of different soaking (AvS) and priming (AvP) treatments indicated the novelty of seed priming over simple soaking. However, unlike FGP and GI, all other parameters viz., CVG, MGT, MGR, T50 and Z-index were found superior when seeds were primed in water (T5) with their recorded values of 87.34%day-1, 1.15day-1, 0.614 day-1, 1.18 day, 0.790, respectively. Values of CVG, MGR and Z index with respect to separate means of simple seed soaking, AvS (69.5%day-1, 0. 0.566day-1 and 0.53) and priming, AvP (75.6%day-1, 0.573day-1 and 0.63) further confirmed the dominancy of seed priming technique over simple seed soaking. Pearson correlation coefficient analysis revealed strong relationship between different quantities of seed germination attributes.

Conclusion: Seed priming resulted in better germination attributes in okra compared to tradirional seed soaking and as such priming treatments should be practiced instead of traditional seed soaking in okra.