Seed Treatment :: Methods

SEED HARDENING FOR DROUGHT TOLERANCE

What is? Seed hardening is physiological preconditioning of the seed by hydration to with stand drought under rainfed condition.

 Methodology

  • Soak the seed in water or in chemical solution for definite duration in proper seed to solution ratio
  • Shade drying to bring back the seed to original moisture content

Hardening technique for various crop

Crop Chemical and concentration Methodology
Pearl millet 2% potassium chloride Dissolve 20 gm of salt in 1000 ml of water. Soak 1 kg of seed in 650 ml of this solution for 10 hours and dry back to original moisture.
Sorghum 2% potassium chloride Dissolve 20 gm of salt in 1000ml of water. Soak 1 kg of seed in 650 ml of the solution for 16 hours and dry back to original moisture or weight.
Cotton 2% Potassium chloride Dissolve 20 gm of salt in 1000 ml of water. Soak 1 kg of seed in 650 ml of this solution for 10 hours and dry back to original moisture.
Sunflower Potassium chloride Dissolve 20 gm of salt in 1000 ml of water. Soak 1 kg of seed in 650 ml of this solution for 12 hours and dry back to original moisture.

Black gram & Green gram

100ppm Zinc  sulphate
100ppm Manganese sulphate
Dissolve 1000mg of salt in 1000ml of water. Soak 1 kg of seed in 350 ml of the solution for 3 hours and dry back to original moisture or weight.
Ragi 0.2% Sodium chloride Dissolve 2 g of salt in 1000ml of water. Soak 1 kg of seed in 700 ml of solution for 6 hrs and dry back to original moisture content or weight.
Groundnut 0.5% calcium chloride Dissolve 5 g of salt in 1000ml of water. Soak 1 kg of seed in 300 ml of solution for 4 hours and dry back to original moisture or weight.
Redgram 100ppm Zinc sulphate Dissolve 1000mg salt in 1000ml of water. Soak 1 kg of seed in 300 ml of solution for 4 hrs and dry back to original moisture or weight.
Bengal gram 1% potassium dihydrogen  phosphate Dissolve 10g salt in 1000ml of water. Soak 1 kg of seed in 350 ml of solution for 4 hrs and dry back to original moisture or weight

Benefits

  • It increases the speed of germination and germination percentage
  • It increases the seeding vigour.
  • The uniformity of seedling emergence.
  • Increases the root growth.
  • Flowering occurs 2-3 days earlier.
  • Uniform seed set and maturity.
  • Increases the yield.
Updated On: Jan, 2016
 

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