Seaweed extract as natural priming agent for augmenting seed quality traits and yield in Capsicum frutescens L.

Abstract

Chilli growers across the world face the problem of seed germination, nursery raising and field establishment of the crop. The present study investigates the use of liquid seaweed extract (SWE) of Kappaphycus alvarezii (K-sap) and Gracilaria edulis (G-sap) as seed priming agent for Capsicum frutescens. The aims of the study were (1) to investigate the effects of seaweed extract priming at various concentration and duration on germination and seedling vigour of C. frutescens seeds, (2) to determine the possible effect of seaweed extract priming on the physiological and biochemical changes of in the seeds, and (3) to study the morphological traits of seedling and changes in the reproductive traits after priming treatments. Priming significantly improved germination percentage, mean germination time, vigour index and seedling weight. Moreover, we studied the electrolyte leakage, total phenol, DPPH assay and ABTS assay of both primed and non-primed seeds. Morphological traits of seedling and changes in the reproductive traits after priming treatments were found to be significantly improved upon priming. We used PCA biplots for separation of the priming treatments by using seedling traits. Overall we recommended the treatments P21 (K-sap; 1:100 for 48 h), P16 (K-sap; 1:25 for 72 h), P6 (K-sap; 1:1 for 48 h), P42 (G-sap; 1:25 for 48 h), P35 (G-sap; 1:5 for 24 h) and P37 (G-sap; 1:5 for 72 h) for improving the germination, storability and higher fruit yield in C. frutescens.