Improved performance of muskmelon (Cucumis melo) seeds with osmoconditioning

Abstract

Seeds of muskmelon (Cucuniis melo) cultivars viz Pb. Hybrid and Pb. Sunehri were osmoconditioned with Polyethylene glycol (PEG) and KNO3 solutions to enhance their performance at low temperature. Osmoconditioning both with PEG 6000 and KNO3 increased per cent germination, speed of germination, vigour in terms of dry weight and length of the seedlings and root/shoot ratios. KNO3 priming recorded more pronounced effects in all the above mentioned parameters. Other vigour parameters such as electrical conductance of seed leachates was decreased with osmoconditioning whi]e dehydrogenase activity was enhanced. Osmoconditioning resulted in increased activity of amylases.

Keywords

• Muskmelon
• seeds
• osmoconditioning