Overcoming seed dormancy in round gourd (Praecitrullus fistulosus (Stocks) Pangalo) with different storage durations and priming treatments
Loading...
Date
2019
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
Abstract
The round gourd (Praecitrullus fistulosus (Stocks) Pangalo) seeds are characterized by hard seed coat. Under Punjab conditions, the seeds are harvested in mid-June and used for sowing in the months of June and July. The round gourd seeds exhibit dormancy soon after harvesting. However, the objective of the present study was to standardize priming treatments that would break the dormancy in seeds obtained from freshly harvested fruits of round gourd. The seeds, immediately after harvest, were stored at 250C for 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 days respectively. The stored seeds were subjected to various priming treatments viz., seed soak in GA3 (150μgml-1, 500 μgml-1, 1000 μgml-1 gibberellic acid), cytokinin (150μgml-1, 500μgml-1, 1000 μgml-1 kinetin), ethylene (150 μlL-1, 500 μlL-1, 1000 μlL-1 ethrel), KNO3 (150μgml-1, 500 μgml-1), HNO3 (150 μlL-1, 500 μlL-1) and water (hydropriming) for 12 and 24 h respectively at 250C. The germination potential and various germination related parameters increased with an increase in storage duration with maximum value in seeds stored for 60 DAH although the 60 % germination barrier is crossed in seeds stored for 45 DAH. Among all the priming treatments, priming with 500μgml-1 KNO3 for 12 h (T22) was the only treatment that improved percentage germination, coefficient of rate of germination (CRG) and reduced mean days to germination (MDG) in the freshly harvested seeds (0 DAH). An enhancement in biochemical parameters, viz., total soluble sugars, total starch, total soluble protein, total free amino acids and α-amylase content was observed. However, priming in GA3 though was less than KNO3 in enhancing germination related parameters but was at par with KNO3 with respect to improvement in biochemical parameters.
Description
Keywords
null