Effect of organic seed treatments and soaking duration on seedling growth and survival of papaya (Carica papaya L.)

Papaya seed germination is often slow and erratic due to mechanical restrictions from the seed coat (gelatinous sarcotesta) and imposed physiological dormancy. Seed priming effectively releases dormancy from seeds by exposing them to specific substances for specific times that trigger metabolic activities associated with germination. Although, organic substances such as Beejamrit and Jeevamrit are now being used in several crops for seed priming. However, their comparative effects on papaya seed germination are not well understood. The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate various organic substances to improve papaya seed germination and seedling growth. The experiment was carried out at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University (SDAU), Tharad, Gujarat, using plastic pro trays under 50 % green shade net in complete randomized design comprised with two factors (S); organic substance viz., S0 (water soaking), S1 (Beejamrit), S2 (Jeevamrit 10 %), S3 (cow dung extract), S4 (novel organic liquid nutrient 1.0 %) and S5 (15 days old fermented buttermilk) and different seed soaking duration viz., D1 (6 hr), D2 (9 hr) and D3 (12 hr). The results revealed that treatment S1 (Beejamrit) demonstrated the fastest germination (18.28 days), highest germination per cent (71.21), lesser days to 7–8 leaf stage (59.94), higher seedlings height (10.80 cm), longest primary roots (9.58 cm), highest survival of seedling (92.58 %) and survival per cent of papaya seedling (94.54) after 5 days of planting in the field. In case of soaking durations, treatment D3 (12 hr soaking) recorded the earliest germination (17.87 days), exhibited higher germination per cent (69.50), took shortest time (58.77 days) to attained 7–8 leaf stage, maximum seedling height (10.23 cm) and the longest primary roots (8.40 cm). However, the seed soaking duration was found statistically non-significant on survival per cent of the seedlings at planting and after transplanting in the field.