Seed quality index an estimate used to predict response of bottle gourd seeds (Lagenariasiceraria (Mol.) Standl) to hydro- and osmo-priming

The effect of hydro- and osmo-priming on quality parameters of fresh, and one-year old bottle gourd cv. Rajendra chamtkar, seeds were investigated. The seeds were primed with polyethylene glycol 6000 (0.5 and 1.5MPa), disodium hydrogen phosphate (10-1 M and10-3 M), potassium dihydrogen phosphate (10-1 M and10-3 M), GA3 (100 and 500 ppm) and distilled water at ambient temperature for 24 hours and 48 hours along with control (dry seeds). Experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design with four replicates. Response of bottle gourd seeds to osmo- and hydro-priming was expressed in terms of seed quality index. Results of variance analysis of fresh seeds and one year old seeds indicated significant differences among the priming treatments for all seed quality characters except seedling dry weight in case of fresh seeds. The results based on seed quality index suggested that priming with GA3was the best seed treatment irrespective of seed age, concentration and priming duration followed by KH2PO4 and Na2HPO4 in bottle gourd.

Keywords:

Bottle gourd , Osmo priming , Hydro priming , Seed quality index