Osmoconditioning of Carrot Seeds to Improve Seedling Establishment and Yield in Cold Soil1

Abstract

AbstractCold soil interferes with early establishment of uniform, vigorous seedlings in vegetables and other crops. The aim of this work was to determine if the changes induced in carrot (Daucus carota L.) seeds during partial hydration by low osmotic potential polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG) solution would allow early planting in cold soil and thereby improve germination, growth, and yield. Seeds of two carrot cultivars, ‘Nantes’ and ‘Perfekcja’, were treated in —8.6 bars PEG solution for 6 days at 15 C. The effects of the seed treatment were evaluated by germinating the seeds on filter paper at 10 C, in Cornell Soil Mix (peat‐lite Mix A) in a growth chamber at an alternating temperature regime of 5 and 10 C and in the field (Glossoboric Hapludalf, fine loamy, mixed mesic soil) where the average soil temperature during the first 2 weeks after field planting was 10.5 C and during the first 5 weeks 12.6 C. Seed osmoconditioning improved the emergence time, stand size, and uniformity of stand in the field and increased the total yield. The increase in fresh weight of roots in Nantes and Perfekcja from PEG treated seeds were 32 and 93% and in number of roots 37 and 100%, respectively, compared to the untreated seeds