Osmopriming with Polyethylene Glycol (PEG-6000) Improves the Action of Seed Germination, Growth, and Physiology in Carrot

Abstract

In order to improve germination and vigour, the current study was conducted using three carrot varieties viz. Carrot Florence (G1), Deb Kuroda-1 (G2), and Deb Kuroda-3 (G3), and various concentrations and durations of PEG-6000, including 0.1 MPa for 24 hours (T2), 0.1 MPa for 48 hours (T3), 0.25 MPa for 24 hours(T4), 0.25 MPa for 48 hours (T5), 0.40 MPa for 24 hours (T6), and 0.40 MPa for 48 hours (T7), non-primed seeds (T1). A pre-sowing technique called seed priming produces a physiological environment that promotes more efficient seed germination. The experiment was carried out in the Department of Seed Science and Technology's seed testing lab at the BCKV, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal, India. According to the experiment's results, seeds treated with 0.25 MPa PEG-6000 soaking for 48 hours produced the best results among treatments over genotype; these seeds showed notably greater potential than seeds treated with other priming concentrations and durations. Deb Kuroda-3 is the best from a germination perspective, and Deb Kuroda-1 is the best from a vigour perspective. The best results were clearly obtained with a 0.25 MPa PEG-6000 soaking duration of 48 hours for seed quality parameters like germination energy (47.273), seedling Vigour Index-I (639.032), and germination index (5.503). Therefore, to improve seedling establishment, PEG-6000 0.25 Mpa pre-sowing treatment for 48 hours is recommended for carrot.