Impact of KNO3 Primed Seeds on the Performance of Late Sown Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)

Abstract

In the present piece of work the effects of seed priming with KNO₃ on late sown sesame crop (Sesamum indicum) var. T-4 (V₁), T-12 (V₂) and Shekhar (V₃) in respect of germination, physiomorphological, biochemical and yield parameters were observed. The treatments comprised of KNO₃ [10 mM (T₁), 15 mM (T_2­)] and distilled water (DW) primed sets (T₀). The results showed that the KNO₃ treatment promoted germination percentage, root and shoot length, fresh and dry weights of seedling, catalase, peroxidase and proline content as well as yield attributes like number of capsules plant^-1, number of seeds capsule^-1, test weight (1000 seed weight in g) and yield plant^-1 (g). After 80 h, the highest germination percentage was recorded in 15 mM KNO₃ (T₂) primed seeds of Sesamum indicum var. T-4, T-12 and Shekhar. The average of root length, shoot length, fresh weight, and dry weight was recorded highest in treatment T­₂ in comparison to distilled water primed seeds (control) at 25 DAS in all varieties i.e., T-4, T-12 and Shekhar respectively. Yield attributes like number of capsules plant^-1, number of seeds capsule^-1, test weight and yield plant^-1 were also highest in treatment T₂ in all varieties V₁, V₂ and V₃ respectively. Variety V₁ and treatment T₂ recorded the highest values of catalase, peroxidase and proline content followed by variety V₃ and V_2­ and treatment T₁ and T₀ at 45 DAS respectively. It had been found that seed priming with KNO₃ ameliorate the effect of late sowing.