Effect of different priming methods on growth, flowering, yield and postharvest attributes in China aster cv. Kamini

Abstract

An experiment was performed to evaluate the effect of seed priming on growth, flowering, yield and postharvest quality of China aster [Callistephus chinensis L. Nees.] in Horticulture Research Farm, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, and Varanasi (U.P.). The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications. The treatments comprised of different concentrations of GA3, CaCl­2, distilled water of various levels including control. Among all the priming treatments, seeds primed with GA3 200 ppm showed maximum effect in all the growth characters, flowering, yield and postharvest quality in China aster cv. Kamini. Treatment GA3 200 ppm reported maximum plant height at 90 DAT (58.25 cm), maximum number of secondary branches (22.66), early flowering (107.11 days), maximum flower diameter (4.74 cm), maximum flower yield, seed yield along with postharvest quality of cut flowers in China aster cv. Kamini.