Optimizing Priming Concentration and Duration of PEG 6000 for Improving Seed Germination and Vigour in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Abstract

This study was undertaken with different concentration and duration of PEG-6000 to observe the effect of germination and seedling vigour in chickpea seeds. The experiment was conducted in seed testing laboratory, Department of Seed Science and Technology, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal, India during 2020-2021 following Complete Randomized Block Design with three replications in order to standardize the appropriate concentration and duration while soaking the seeds within PEG-6000 solution for screening a range of duration concentrations viz, 10 g liter-1 for 6 hrs, 10 g liter-1 for 8 hrs, 10 g liter-1 for 10 hrs, 15 g liter-1 for 6 hrs , 15 g liter-1 for 8 hrs, 15 g liter-1 for 10 hrs, 20 g liter-1 for 6 hrs, 20 g liter-1 for 8 hrs, 20 g liter-1 for 10 hrs, 25 g liter-1 for 6 hrs, 25 g liter-1 for 8 hrs, 25 g liter-1 for 10 hrs. Untreated dry seeds were considered as control. It was found that all the priming treatments showed significance difference in overall including the control. The best performer or the better result was shown by T8 which is 20 gm/ liter solution with the soaking duration of 8 hrs. It was highest performer in germination percentage (93.77), root length (6.57 cm), shoot length (16.57 cm), seedling fresh weight (1.66 g), seedling dry weight (0.14 g), seedling vigour index I (2137.07), time to 50% germination (2.33 days) and germination index (77.82). This study showed that seed priming with osmotic solution could improve some seedling parameters in chickpea. In seed priming, its simplicity such as no requirements for extensive equipment and chemicals could be used method for overcoming problems related to a poor germination and further seedling establishment and helps in sustaining agriculture with a cost effective approach and with the help of seed priming treatments which are non-toxic and from eco-friendly sources.