Standardization of pre-sowing organic seed encrustation treatments on seedling parameters of onion (Allium cepa) under ambient storage conditions

Abstract

The present study was conducted from March to June at Post Graduate Lab Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, SHUATS experiment was conducted in factorial CRD with four replications. The onion variety Gavran was taken for evaluation. Thirteen treatment combinations comprise of five treatments (Neem leaf powder (3, 5, 7 g/kg of seeds); turmeric powder (5, 10, 15%), Bael leaf powder (4, 5, 6%) and pepper powder @ 20, 25 and 30 g/kg of seed) along with control and two storage container: zip lock bag and plastic container. Seedlings stored in plastic container exhibited highest germination percent (71.92%), germination rate (2.77), root length(5.82 cm), shoot length (6.74 cm), seedling length (12.57 cm), seedling fresh weight (178.41 mg) seedling dry weight (18.91 g) vigor Index-I (916.12), vigor index-II (1.37), seedling growth rate (0.143), electrical conductivity (0.853 dSm-1) and root shoot ratio (1.167). Moreover, the seed treated with neem leaf powder @ 5 g/kg of seeds show best result in term of seed quality parameter viz germination (82.75%), germination rate (3.19), root length (4.83 cm), shoot length (9.16 cm), seedling length (17.24 cm), seedling fresh weight (191.44 g), seedling dry weight (23.65 g), vigor index I (1426.86), vigor index II (1.96), seedling growth rate (0.203), electrical conductivity (0.80 dSm-1) and root shoot ratio (1.133) as compared to control at the end of 3 months of storage. The study concluded that combining plastic containers with neem leaf powder @ 5 g/kg of seeds can expand the storability of onion seeds under ambient conditions.