Enhancing okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) growth performance through seed priming

Abstract

Okra ( Abelmoschus esculentus), is a highly nutritious summer vegetable crop in Malaysia. The greatest challenge in growing okra is the okra seeds germinate slowly and unevenly, which leads to weak seedling growth and vigour. To address this issue, a study was conducted to evaluate the impact of various osmopriming techniques on Okra seed germination and performance growth. This study also aims to find effective solutions for enhancing seed germination. Different osmopriming treatments including Polyethylene glycol (PEG 20%), potassium chloride (KCl 4%), potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4 3%), calcium chloride (CaCl2 3%), sodium chloride (NaCl 3%), potassium nitrate (KNO3 2%), and negative control (no treatment) were applied to the seeds. Data on germination rate, leaf number, plant height, chlorophyll content, and stem diameter were collected and analysed using one-way ANOVA. Among the 3 hours of osmopring treatment, KH2PO4 3% exhibited the highest germination rate (10.1886 ± 1.73894). For the 6-hour osmopriming treatment, PEG 20% demonstrated the most promising results, with the highest leaf number (3.6071 ± 0.35295), plant height (20.977±11.92103), and stem diameter (0.950±00.22281). The highest chlorophyll content was observed in the KNO3 2% osmopriming treatment (23.3286 ± 0.64104) for 6 hours. Overall, PEG 20% osmopriming treatment for 6 hours emerged as the most effective in promoting germination percentages and enhancing the growth performance of okra, serving as a positive control in the study.