Vol. 11, Issue 4 (2022)

Author(s):
Sowmya KJ, Rame Gowda, Rajendra Prasad S, Pallavi HM and Yogeesha HS

Abstract:
Osmopriming involves soaking seeds in aerated, low water potential osmotica to control the amount of water imbibitions by the seed. In the present study both high and low vigour level cucumber seeds were soaked in PEG 6000 @ -1.5 MPa, at two different temperatures, in comparison to unprimed seeds. Among vigour levels, significantly, higher first count germination, final count germination, BRI, MSL, MSDW, SVI- I and SVI- II (76.17%, 90.00%, 0.514, 23.07 cm, 9.01 mg, 2077 and 811) were registered in high vigour seeds. The T₅₀ value and mean germination time were also lower (1.42 and 2.24 days) in high vigour seeds and higher (3.67 and 3.03 days) in V₂. Among temperatures, higher first count germination (67.25%), was registered at 25 ⁰C and it was lower (66.33%) in 10 ⁰C. Among osmoticum, higher first count germination, final count germination, BRI, MSL, MSDW, SVI- I and SVI- II (74.33%, 80.25%, 0.505, 23.84 cm, 9.39 mg, 1920 and 762) were registered in PEG 6000 @-1.5 MPa(O₂), which was lower in unprimed seeds. Conversely, the low vigour seeds have recorded 22.67 per cent increase in the final count germination in contrast to 2.90 per cent increase in high vigour seeds, in comparison with unprimed seeds. It is concluded that, osmopriming cucumber seeds with PEG 6000 @ -1.5 Mpa enhanced seed physiological traits at 25± 1⁰C in low vigour seeds.