Studies on effect of various seed priming treatments on seed yield in Barnyard Millet (Echinochloa frumentacea) cv CO1

Abstract

Field investigation was carried out to study the effect of various seed priming treatments on seed yield in barnyard millet cv CO 1. The seeds of barnyard millet cv CO 1 were given with following seed treatments i.e., dry dressing with Thiram @ 2 g/kg, Hydropriming, bio priming with Pungam leaf extract @ 5%, Moringa leaf extract @ 5%, organo priming with Vermiwash @ 5%, Panchagavya @ 5%, halo priming with MnSO4 @ 2%, ZnSO4 @ 2% along with control. The primed seeds were evaluated for the growth parameters, physiological parameters, gas exchange parameters and yield attributing characteristics. The Moringa leaf extract @ 5% seed priming treatment recorded higher values for the growth parameters such as field emergence, plant height at 45 days and plant height at 90 days. It also recorded early days to first flowering, early days to 50 % flowering when compared to other treatments. The Moringa leaf extract @ 5% seed priming treatment registered significantly higher values for the physiological parameters such as chlorophyll content at 45 DAS, chlorophyll content at 90 DAS, net assimilation rate at 30-50 DAS and 50-95 DAS, leaf area and gas exchange parameters such as photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate and stomatal conductance. In addition to the above characters, Moringa leaf extract @ 5% seed priming treatment also registered significantly higher values for the various seed yield attributing characteristics such as panicle weight plant-1, panicle to seed recovery, seed yield plant-1, seed yield plot-1 and 1000 seed weight.