Effect of Iodine Treatment on the Control of Seed Deterioration in Cotton (Gossypium sp. L.)

Abstract

The seeds of 15 cotton genotypes belonging to Gossypium hirsutum, G. barbadense and G. arboreum were treated (dry) with 3 g of iodine-based halogen formulation kg⁻¹ and stored under ambient conditions in the laboratory for six months. The seeds exhibited a significant effect of halogenation treatment by recording higher germination initially (7% over control) and after six months of storage (12% over control), speed of germination, root and shoot length of seedlings, dry matter production and computed vigour index, field emergence and collar thickness of 40-day-old seedlings over the control seeds. Among the genotypes, Supriya and MCU 5 VT were the best, while Anjuli was very poor among the genotypes.