Articles
MANNITOL PRIMING INDUCES BIOCHEMICAL CHANGES AND ENHANCES GERMINATION CAPACITY AND SEEDLING VIGOR IN MARIGOLD (TAGETES SPP.)
Article number
898_1
Pages
25 – 29
Language
English
Abstract
Marigold is one of the important annual flowers grown for commercial purposes all over the world.
A fast decline in vigor and viability of marigold seeds is a main problem under ambient storage conditions.
Little information has been reported on seedling development of marigold subsequent to priming.
Therefore, a laboratory study was carried out to investigate the influence of priming with mannitol (2, 4 and 6%) on germination and seedling growth of African and French marigold seeds.
Priming with 2 and 4% mannitol for 24 h maximally increased final germination percentage, germination capacity, germination index, shoot and root lengths of both marigold species as compared to all pre-sowing seed treatments including control.
Similarly, at those concentrations mannitol significantly reduced mean emergence time and days to 50% emergence, increased seedling emergence uniformity, final seedling emergence percentage and seedling growth.
In conclusion, priming with 2% mannitol proved to be the most effective priming agent in both marigold cultivars.
This could be attributed to the effect of mannitol in increasing reducing and total sugars as well as α-amylase activity in primed seeds.
A fast decline in vigor and viability of marigold seeds is a main problem under ambient storage conditions.
Little information has been reported on seedling development of marigold subsequent to priming.
Therefore, a laboratory study was carried out to investigate the influence of priming with mannitol (2, 4 and 6%) on germination and seedling growth of African and French marigold seeds.
Priming with 2 and 4% mannitol for 24 h maximally increased final germination percentage, germination capacity, germination index, shoot and root lengths of both marigold species as compared to all pre-sowing seed treatments including control.
Similarly, at those concentrations mannitol significantly reduced mean emergence time and days to 50% emergence, increased seedling emergence uniformity, final seedling emergence percentage and seedling growth.
In conclusion, priming with 2% mannitol proved to be the most effective priming agent in both marigold cultivars.
This could be attributed to the effect of mannitol in increasing reducing and total sugars as well as α-amylase activity in primed seeds.
Publication
Authors
I. Afzal, S. Ashraf, M. Qasim, S.M.A. Basra, M. Shahid, B. Hussain
Keywords
seed priming, mannitol, emergence, α-amylase, African and French marigold
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