G. Gowrisanker, S. Ezhilkumar, S. Padmavathi and M. Pazhanisamy
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted during the kharif season of 2020 at the Plant Breeding Farm, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Annamalai University to study the effect of seed hardening treatment for seed quality and yield parameters in black gram [Vigna mungo L.) hepper] cv.VBN 6. Seed hardening is a pre-sowing treatment that involves subjecting seeds to certain chemicals to enhance their germination, growth and overall performance under field conditions. The researchers used various chemicals for seed hardening and these treatments included i.e., FeSO4@ 5%, KH2PO4@2%, KCl@2%, KNO3@2%, MnSO4@100 ppm, ZnSO4@100 ppm, Cobalt nitrate @ 1%,CaCl2@2%,GA3 @ 40% and Control. The study revealed that seeds hardened with MnSO4@100 ppm resulted in the highest values for various parameters viz., plant height, no. of leaves per plant, no. of branches per plant, no. of nodules per plant, days to first flowering, no. of cluster per plant, no. of pods per plant, pod weight per plant, pod length, no. of seeds per pod, no. of seeds per plant, test weight, pod yield per plant, root length, shoot length, seedling length, seedling fresh weight, seedling dry weight, vigour index-I and vigour index-II. The results showed that black gram seed hardening with MnSO4@100 ppm improved higher seed yield and quality parameters when compared to other treatments and control.