Effects of Pre-seeding Treatments with Certain Chemicals Including Plant Growth Regulators on Growth and Development of Hybrid Bajra-115 (Pennisetum typhoides S & H)

Abstract

Germination, seedling growth (Experiment 1, monsoon, 1966 and summer, 1967) and growth res-ponses (Experiments 2 and 3) of hybrid bajra-115 grown in petri dishes and pots, respectively were investigated with seeds soaked in Ascorbic acid (AA) (25,50,100 and 200 mg/l), Gibberellic acid (GA,) (100,200,400 and 800 mg/l), Potassium nitrate (0-25, 0-50, 1-00 and 2.00%) and Thiourea (25,50,100 and 200 mg/l). In the monsoon trial of Experiment 1 where the seed appeared to be dormant, the treatments with AA,GA, and Thiourea (except 25 mg/l) accelerated germination while final germination was improved by Thiourea at 100 mg/l only. The effect of these growth regulators was not apparent on non-dormant seed in summer trial. Potassium nitrate at 2% not only delayed, but also reduced final germination percentage in both the trials. Of these chemicals, only GA, promoted plumule elongation significantly.Ascrobic acid tended to increase grain yield at 25 mg/1 concentration. GA, increased the plant height and reduced the leaf and tiller numbers at 800 mg/l in Experiment 3. Potassium nitrate (2%) and Thiourea (100 mg/l) increased straw yield (Experiment 3) and the effects of the latter are possibly, through an increase in leaf and tiller numbers.