Physiological priming and pelleting of tobacco seeds

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the performance of tobacco seeds subjected to different methods of physiological priming, as well as to check the germination and emergence of primed and pelleted seeds. The experiment was divided into two steps. First, seeds from two lots of cultivar CSC 302 were primed at 25°C. The effects of soaking time (24, 48 hours) and priming medium (water, PEG-6000, KNO3, PEG-6000 + KNO3, and a combination of each medium with gibberellic acid) were assessed. Germination and emergence tests were performed. Secondly seeds of cultivar CSC 463 were primed in water at 25°C for 8, 16, 24 and 36 hours. A sample of the seeds were then pelleted and the rest remained without a coating. Germination and emergence tests were performed after application of the treatments and at one month intervals over a period of three months. Priming in water at 25°C for 24 hours positively affected germination and emergence of tobacco seeds. The beneficial effect of priming was greater in the pelleted seeds. Storage for three months did not negatively affect the quality of pelleted or non-pelleted seeds.