EFFECT OF SEED PRIMING AND GROWING MEDIA ON SEED GERMINATION AND SEEDLING GROWTH OF PAPAYA

Abstract

Seed germination is the most important aspect for successful seedling production of Papaya. The present study was carried out to explore the effect of seed priming with growing media on improvement of seed germination and seedling growth of Papaya during the period from October to December 2021. The experimental treatments included three seed priming treatments: T 0 = GA 3 (100 ppm) and T 2 = KNO 3 = Control (no seed priming treatments), T 1 (1%) and four growing media viz., M 1 = Soil + Vermicompost (1:1), M 2 = Soil + Cowdung (1:1), M 3 = Soil + Cocopeat + Vermicompost (1:1:1) and M 4 = Soil + Cocopeat + Cowdung (1:1:1). The treatments showed significant effect on different parameters such as, germination percentage, days to germination, survival percentage, chlorophyll content, Seed vigour index, shoot and root length. GA 3 treated seedling performed better than non-GA 3 treated seedlings. Among the growing media, M 3 showed the best for seed germination and other growth attributes compared to other growing media. In terms of interaction effects, T 1 M 3 showed the highest performance for germination percentage (84.33%), survival percentage (91.0), chlorophyll content (44.267). T 1 M 3 also showed the highest seed vigour index and shoot and root growth. Therefore, the combination of GA 3 and growing media Soil + Cocopeat + Vermicompost (1:1:1) was found most suitable for seed germination and seedling growth of papaya.