Effect of Micronutrients on Growth and Quality Parameters of Sponge Gourd Seeds (Luffa cylindrica) Through Priming

Abstract

The experiment of seed priming was conducted in the post-graduate laboratory, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology & Sciences, SHUATS, Naini, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh during 2021 in Pusa chikni of Sponge gourd. The micro-nutrients were used in the treatments of the Sponge gourd seeds which are treated with T1 - ZnSO4 0.1%, T2 - ZnSO4 0.5%, T3 - ZnSO4 1%, T4 - MnSO4 0.1%, T5 - MnSO4 0.5%, T6 - MnSO4 1%, T7 - CuSO4 0.1%, T8 - CuSO4 0.5%, T9 - CuSO4 1%, T10 - B2(SO4) 3- 0.1%, T11 - B2(SO4) 3- 0.5%, T12 - B2(SO4) 3- 1% with T0 as control for 12 hrs. Between paper method and sand method were adopted to observe the effect of micronutrients on germination percentage, root length, shoot length, seedling length, fresh weight of seedlings, dry weight of seedlings, vigour index I, vigour index II. The highest seed germination percentage was recorded in ZnSO4 0.5%. ZnSO4 0.5% showed best result in all the quality parameters followed by ZnSO4 1%