Evaluation of Seed Cube Technology in Brinjal, Tomato and Chilli

Abstract

Seed cube technology may improve the efficient use of vegetable seed by combining quality-treated seeds with a compact growth medium for direct field establishment. The study was conducted at the Vegetable Research Station, Palur, and at farmers’ fields to evaluate the feasibility and performance of seed cube technology for raising brinjal, tomato and chilli. Seed cubes were prepared using soil (700 g), sawdust (130 g), bone meal (80 g), vermicompost (40 g) and VAM (50 g) with quality-treated vegetable seeds embedded in each cube. In Experiment I, a factorial randomised block design was adopted with three solanaceous vegetable crops and two planting methods, viz. surface and subsurface planting. Surface planting recorded significantly higher field establishment (27.2 plants 20 m⁻²), lower mortality (9.3%), a maximum number of fruits per plant (16.0), fruit yield per plant (2.44 kg), fruit set (65.6%), seed yield per plant (17.4 g) and finally the seed yield (368.9 kg ha⁻¹) than subsurface planting. Among the crops, brinjal recorded the highest field establishment (24.2 plants 20 m⁻²), the lowest mortality (19.4%), the highest fruit set (71.1%) and the highest fruit yield (23.1 t acre⁻¹), while tomato recorded the highest fruit yield per plant (2.78 kg), seed yield per plant (19.7 g) and seed yield (378.9 kg ha⁻¹). In Experiment II, the technology was evaluated at five farmer-field locations for each crop. Surface planting resulted in significantly higher plant establishment (29.0 plants 20 m⁻²), lower mortality (21.3%) and higher fruit yield per plant (2.245 kg) than subsurface planting. Brinjal recorded the highest plant establishment (28.5 plants 20 m⁻²) and fruit yield (23.2 t acre⁻¹), whereas tomato recorded the highest fruit yield per plant (3.145 kg). The results demonstrate that surface placement of seed cubes is a promising approach for improving crop establishment and productivity in brinjal, tomato and chilli under both research-station and farmer-field conditions. The findings are consistent with recent research showing that seed enhancement and priming approaches can improve germination, seedling vigour and subsequent productivity in vegetable crops.