EFFECT OF SEED PRIMING AND PLANTING DATES ON GROWTH AND FLOWERING OF PANSY (Viola x wittrockiana Gams.)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The present investigation entitled, “Effect of seed priming and planting
dates on growth and flowering of pansy (Viola x wittrockiana Gams.)” was
carried out at experimental laboratory and farm of Department of Floriculture and
Landscaping, Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan
(H.P) during September, 2010- September, 2011. The research work was
accomplished in two separate experiments. First experiment was carried out under
laboratory conditions in completely randomized design comprising five seed priming
treatments viz., PEG-6000@300 g/l, GA3@20 mg/l, biopriming with Trichoderma
viride @8 g/kg of seeds, hydropriming with water and control. The second
experiment was carried out under open field conditions in split plot design comprising
of five seed priming treatments (PEG-6000@300 g/l, GA3@20 mg/l, biopriming with
Trichoderma viride @8 g/kg of seed, hydropriming with water and control) and four
planting dates (17th October, 2nd November, 17th November, 2nd December). Under
laboratory conditions, seed priming with GA3 @20 mg/l was found to be the best for
improving the speed of germination (22.17), germination percentage (93.12 %),
seedling length (6.55 cm), seedling fresh weight (15.80 mg), seedling dry weight
(1.50 mg) and seed vigour index (609.6). However, minimum speed of germination
(11.80), germination percentage (60.75 %), seedling length (3.15 cm), seedling fresh
weight (10.30 mg), seedling dry weight (0.79 mg), seed vigour index (195.3) was
recorded in non-primed or control seeds. Under field conditions, the seed priming
with GA3@20 mg/l was found to be the best for earliest 50% seedling emergence
(9.33), maximizing seedling emergence percentage (88.00 %), plant height (27.30
cm), plant spread (27.75 cm), number of leaves per plant (280.00), earliest first
flowering (101.20 days), number of flowers per plant (133.33), flower size (5.02 cm),
number of capsules per plant (58.29), number of seeds per capsule (45.98), seed yield
83
(2.84 g), sale returns per plot (Rs. 698.04) and net profit per plot (Rs. 854.23) whereas
delayed 50% seedling emergence (17.00 days), minimum seedling emergence
percentage (61.75 %), plant height (18.88 cm), plant spread (20.13 cm), number of
leaves per plant (189.50), delayed first flowering (103.50), lesser flowers per plant
(89.44), smaller flowers (4.57 cm), lesser capsules per plant (34.86), lesser number of
seeds per capsule (38.76), minimum seed yield (1.44 g), less sale returns per plot (Rs.
698.04) and minimum net profit per plot (Rs. 192.28) were found in non-primed or
control seeds. However, among planting dates, planting done on 2nd November was
found to be the best for maximizing plant height (28.54 cm), plant spread (28.59 cm),
number of leaves per plant (326.60), earliest first flowering (100.30), number of
flowers per plant (138.69), flower size (5.05 cm), number of capsules per plant
(68.01), number of seeds per capsule (53.24), seed yield (3.64 g), increasing sale
returns per plot (Rs.1734.21) as well as exhibited net profit per plot (Rs.1161.50).
Whereas planting on 2nd December exhibited minimum plant height (16.54 cm), plant
spread (20.20 cm), number of leaves per plant (137.40), number of flowers per plant
(60.40), flower size (4.56 cm), number of capsules per plant (21.21), number of seeds
per capsule (32.28), seed yield (0.69 g), sale returns per plot (Rs.339.62) and net
profit per plot (Rs.-216.24). The interactive effects of seed priming and planting dates
exhibited best results with respect to plant height (33.60 cm), plant spread (32.12 cm),
number of flowers per plant (162.33), number of capsules per plant (77.50), seed yield
per plant (4.30 g), sale returns per plot (Rs.2054.43) as well as net profit per plot
(Rs.1539.70) in the interaction, P2 x D2 i.e. when seedlings raised from GA3 @ 20
mg/l primed seeds were planted on 2nd November. The minimum plant height (15.07
cm), plant spread (18.46 cm), number of flowers per plant (44.15), number of
capsules per plant (14.23), seed yield per plant (0.40 g), sale returns per plot
(Rs.237.78) was recorded for the interaction P5 x D4 i.e. when seedlings raised from
control or non–primed seeds were planted on 2nd December.
From the present studies, it is concluded that seed priming with GA3 @ 20
mg/l and transplanting of seedlings on 2nd November is best for improving the
parameters of nursery production, growth, flowering and seed production of pansy for
most economical cultivation of pansy under mid-hill conditions of Himachal Pradesh