EFFECTS OF SEED OSMOCONDITIONING ON EMERGENCE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SUMMER SQUASH (CUCURBITA PEPO L.)

In a series of field trials, the influence of seed osmopriming on emergence characteristics of the summer squash (Cucurbita pepo L. cv.
Novo Diamant F₁) was studied.

Seeds were primed for 2 or 4 days in aerated solutions of polyethylene glicol 6000 (Peg) at -1,5 MPa, KNO₃ at 2 or 3% and KNO₃+KH₂PO₄ (1:1) at 2 or 3%, in a dark room with a temperature of 18±1°C. Primed and unprimed (control) seeds were directly sown in the field on 12 April 1991 and on 21 March and 4 May 1992.

All osmopriming treatments significantly increased the percentage of emergence.
In fact, on average of the trials, primed seeds showed a total percentage of seedling emergence of 93% as compared to 72% of untreated seeds.

Furthermore, whatever the osmotic compound used, osmoconditioning increased mean rate and uniformity of emergence in comparison to the control.

International Symposium on Agrotechnics and Storage of Vegetable and Ornamental Seeds

G. Mauromicale, V. Cavallaro, A. Ierna

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1994.362.27