Experimental studies on vegetable marrow seeds ozonation using laboratory equipment

Abstract

A set of measures is taken to protect plants against various diseases and to prevent yield losses. One of the components of such actions is a pre-sowing seed treatment. One of the effective ways of pre-sowing treatment is seeds ozonization, which stimulates their germination and provides the prevention of plant diseases, hence this process increases the germination and the yield of agricultural crops. Our laboratory equipment was made to substantiate the ozonation regimes. Experimental studies on seeds ozonation were carried out for agricultural crop (the zucchini variety Zebra), which is widely used in Russia, particularly in the natural-climatic areas of the Urals. Taking into account that high ozone concentrations are dangerous to human health and life (to service personnel), pre-sowing seeds treatment was carried out at relatively safe concentrations (up to 10 mg/m3), paying attention to the tightness of the equipment. Ozone concentrations of 3 mg/m3, 6 mg/m3 and 9 mg/m3 and seed treatment time of 120 min, 240 min, 360 min and 480 min were chosen. The experimental studies have shown, that a rational regime of seeds treatment for obtaining the maximum germination (79.1%), is observed when ozone concentration is 9 mg/m3 and treatment time is 247.7 min. Thus, the developed laboratory equipment helps to determine the rational ozonation regimes for zucchini seeds. It can also be used to determine the rational ozonation regimes for seeds of other crops.