Effect of seed coating treatments on germination and vigour of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) during ambient storage

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to study the “Effect of seed coating treatments on germination and vigour of wheat during ambient storage”. The seeds of wheat HD 2967 were coated with polymer, fungicides and various growth products i.e. T1-Thiram only, T2-Polymer coating (Disco AGSP Red L-200) + Thiram + Carboxine, T3-Polymer coating (Disco AGSP Red L-200) + Thiram + Genius coat, T4-Polymer coating (Disco AGSP Red L-200) + Thiram + Quick root. The doses were 3g/kg for polymer and 2g/kg for thiram, carboxine, genius coat and quick root. Bimonthly observations were recorded during ambient storage (range of average R.H. from 45.36 to 84.74% and temperature 15.14 °C to 30.55 °C) i.e. from Sep. 2015 to Sep. 2016 on germination (%), seedling length (cm.), seedling dry weight (g.), SVI-1 & II and field emergence (%) on 10th and 30th days in season. It may be concluded that seed coating treatment of Polymer + Thiram + Quick root was best for maintaining maximum longevity and vigour during ambient storage of 12 months of wheat HD2967 because it maintained significantly highest germination (79.33%), seedling length (10.12cm.), seedling dry weight (0.183g.), SVI-I (802.81) and SVI-II (14.51) with minimum percent reduction over initial i.e. 12.82, 45.88, 49.16, 52.83, 55.70 % respectively, along with significantly maximum field emergence in season at 10th (88%) and 30th days (86.70%). Next to this treatment was Polymer + Thiram+ Genius coat. Longevity in terms of germination i.e. above IMSCS (85%) can be maintained for eight months by Polymer + Thiram + Quick root and for six months by Polymer + Thiram + Carboxine and Polymer + Thiram + Genius coat.