Effect of Seed Priming with Micro-Nutrients, Botanicals on Seedling Characteristics of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) Var. Paiyur 2
Paidipati Nagakethan Kumar *
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Naini Agricultural Institute, India.
Abhinav Dayal
Department of genetics and Plant Breeding, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Naini Agricultural Institute, India.
Prashant Kumar Rai
Department of genetics and Plant Breeding, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Naini Agricultural Institute, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The experiment was conducted in Seed Testing Laboratory, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj (U.P.) during kharif season 2019-2021, so as to standardize the acceptable seed treatments for sorghum (Paiyur-2).Different seed priming treatments were taken into the study viz., were evaluated T1 – Zinc Sulphate @ 0.5% up to 3hours, T2 – Zinc Sulfate@1% at 4 hours, T3 – Zinc Sulfate@1.5% at 6 hours, T4 – Thiourea @ 0.5% at 3 hours, T5 – Thiourea @ 1% at 4 hours, T6 – Thiourea @ 1.5% at 6 hours, T7 – KNO3@ 0.5% at 3 hours, T8 – KNO3 @ 1% at 4 hours, T9 – KNO3 @ 1.5% at 6 hours, T10 – Moringa Leaf extract @ 3% at 8 hours, T11 – Neem leaf extract @ 3% at 8 hours, T12 – Thiourea @0.5% with Zinc Sulphate(ZnSo4) @ 0.5% at 6 hours. During this study it had been found that maximum germination percent, seedling length and vigour attributes was observed when seed treated with T10- Moringa leaf extract @ 3% followed by T9 – KNO3 @ 1.5% and minimum observed in Control (Untreated seed). Seed treatment with Moringa leaf extract @ 3% enhances germination on seedling characters and it is a simple method and no requirement for expensive equipment and chemical might be used for overcoming challenges associated with a poor germination and seedling establishment.
Keywords: Sorghum seeds, neem leaf extract, moringa leaf extract, germination, seedling characteristics.