Okoh, J. O.*, Dennis, I. and Okibe, P. E.
Department of Plant Breeding and Seed Science, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, P. M. B. 2373 Makurdi,
Benue State, Nigeria.
Received 14th September, 2021; Accepted 6th February, 2022
ABSTRACT: Laboratory experiment was conducted to study the effects of seed priming on seed germination and seedling growth of Celosia argentea using different concentrations of potassium nitrate (KNO 3 ), sodium chloride (NaCl) and distilled water (H 2 O). Factorial combination of three concentrations of KNO 3 salt (1, 2 and 3%), NaCl (1, 2 and 3%), distilled H 2 0 (25, 50 and 75 ml), and three priming durations (2, 12 and 24 hours) with one control of unprimed seeds were laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications. Data were collected on germination percentage, germination rates, shoot length, root length and seedling vigour.
Results from analysis of variance revealed that priming
materials, their concentrations and priming durations were significant for all the seed quality attributes evaluated. Similarly, interaction effect of salt concentrations and priming durations were significant at (p˂0.05) for germination percentage, germination rate, shoot length, root length and seedling vigour. Germination rates, germination percentage, shoot and root length and seedling vigour were significantly increased in response to priming duration of 12 hours.
However, the lowest values on these parameters were recorded for the duration of 2 hours for priming with NaCl salt. The treatment combination involving primed seeds with distilled water had the lowest germination rate, germination percentage, shoot length, root length and seedling vigour as compared to that obtained in the control treatment. Priming celosia seeds with 3% KNO 3 solution for a period of 12 hours significantly enhanced Celosia argentea seedling performance.
Keywords: Celosia, germination percentage, priming, seedling vigour, unprimed seeds.