EFFECT OF SEED SIZE ON GERMINATION, VIGOUR GROWTH AND YIELD IN SUNFLOWER

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Date
1992
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ANDHRA PRADESH AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY RAJENDRANAGAR, HYDERABAD
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted at Student's Farm, College of Agriculture, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad during summer, 1989 to study the effect of seed size on germination, vigour, growth and yield in different genotypes of sunflower. Three genotypes of sunflower viz., Morden, EC- 68414 and APSH-11 were considered as main treatments and five seed grades (sizes} i.e., seeds retained OIi'!'\ 6.0 mm sieve (G1 }, seeds retained on 5.25 mm sieve (G 2), seeds retained on 4.75 mm sieve (G 3), seeds retained on 4.50 mm sieve (G 4 ), and control (ungraded seed} considered as sub-treatments, each treatment replicated four times in split plot design. The results from the laboratory study revealed that seedlings grown from large sized seeds recorded higher values of germination, seedling vigour, root length, hypocotyl length and field emergence as compared to small sized seeds and ungraded. Whereas the ungraded seed exhibited superior performance in respect to seedling vigour, root length, hypocotyl length and field emergence, compared to small sized seeds of seed retained on 4.75 mm sieve and 4.50 mm sieve. The plants raised from large sized seeds exhibited higher values of growth and yield components like plant height, number of leaves per plant, stem girth, head diameter, number of filled seeds per head, 100-seed weight, yield per plant and yield/ha as compared to plants raised from small sized seeds. Days to SO per cent flowering and maturity was less in large sized seeds as compared to smaller seeds. The oil content was also more in large sized seeds. There was a positive and significant association between seed sizes and plant characters whereas, the days to 50 per cent flowering and days to maturity showed a negative association. The crop raised from 6.00 mm seed grade gave maximum recovery (89%, 74% and 82% in Morden, EC 68414 and APSH-11 respectively) and also superior to the remaining resultant crops obtaind from 5.25 mm, 4.75 mm adn 4.50 mm seed grades as well as ungraded seed (control). According to present investigation 10.25 mm sieve as a top screen and 4.75 mm sieve as a bottom screen is recommended for the purpose of certification (for processing) of sunflower for obtaining higher monetary returns and quality seed for the cultivars studied. Larger seed was found to be superior in respect of germination, vigour, field performance and recovery. It is also clear from the present investigation that even the ungraded seed met the certification requirement with regard to germination. Thus, posing a question as to the necessity of grading. A varid conclusion in this regard would not be drawn without information on the storability of seed and also the performance of different seed lots under stress conditions hence, there is a need for more comprehensive studies including the above aspects.
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EFFECT OF SEED SIZE ON GERMINATION, VIGOUR GROWTH AND YIELD IN SUNFLOWER
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