Effect of Seed Treatment and Soaking Duration on Germination of <i>Eryngium foetidum</i> L. Seeds

Abstract

Seed viability and germination of Eryngium foetidum using soaking duration and chemicals treatments was studied at the field laboratory of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University during July 2010 to June 2011. Seed treatment with growth regulator (GA 3 500 ppm + Kinetin 50 ppm) and soaking of seeds enhanced seed germination in the laboratory. Chemical treatment (copper oxi-chloride 0.2% + tetracycline 1000 ppm) had no significant increase of seed germination over control. Untreated or pesticide treated seeds exhibited lower germination than growth regulator treatment. Increase of soaking duration enhances and increased seed germination up to 96 hours. Consecutive 96 hours soaking and drying (8 hours soaking and 4 hours drying) of Eryngium seeds treated with GA 3 500 ppm and Kinetin 50 ppm gave the maximum germination percentage 74.7% in laboratory and enhanced germination by 2 ~ 3 days over control.