IMPROVING SEEDLING QUALITIES OF SOME VEGETABLES PRIMING WITH H2O2

Abstract

A study with four (4) separate experiments was set at the Farm, Department of Horticulture, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University (HSTU), Dinajpur, Bangladesh during April to June 2017. The aims were to evaluate the physiological changes of four (4) vegetable seeds: cucumber, swamp cabbage, Indian spinach and radish primed with the aqueous solutions of H2O2 to find out the suitable strength(s) of H2O2 as the priming material for the highest seedling quality of those vegetables. The seeds of the four (4) vegetables obtained from Lal Teer Seed Limited, Bangladesh: cucumber (cv. Baromasi), Indian spinach (cv. Madhuri), radish (cv. Tasaki) and swamp cabbage (cv. Kangkong L.P. 1), were used. Each experiment had eight (8) treatments: T1 (control), T2 (hydro-priming) and six (6) aquatic solutions of H2O2: T3 (0.5% H2O2), T4 (1% H2O2), T5 (1.5% H2O2), T6 (2% H2O2), T7 (2.5% H2O2) and T8 (3% H2O2). The seeds were soaked in those seven (7) media for 6 hours. The seeds were then sown immediately in wooden seed flats filled in with sterilized coarse sand. The experiments were laid out in the RCBD with three (3) replications. Data on the following 13 traits were collected: % germination, % abnormal seedlings, shoot length (cm), root length (cm), seedling length (cm), shoot dry matters (g/100 seedlings), root dry matters (g/100 seedlings), seedling dry matter (g/100 seedlings), number of secondary roots (>1 cm) per seedling, number of true leaves per seedling, relative growth rate, seedling vigor index, and root: shoot ratio. Except the first two traits, the rest were collected at 3 stages: at 10, 20 and 30 days after sowing (DAS). From the findings of all the four experiments, it was clear that H2O2 was significantly (5% level) effective to improve most of the traits. Again, 1% concentration was most effective for all the four seed species. Above 1%, others were somewhat toxic and hindered most parameters. However, further studies with different varieties of those four seed species with variable doses, priming time and temperature could be investigated before drawing valid recommendations.