EFFECT OF SEED FORTIFICATION WITH GA3 FOR QUALITY SEEDLING PRODUCTION IN ANNATTO (BIXA ORELLANA L.)S. Kala, K. Kumaran, S. Vennila, S. Reeja and I. RashmiAbstract Pre-sowing seed treatments study was designed to evaluate impact of soaking hours and role of GA3 on quality seedling production in Bixa orellana. In the present study seeds soaked in cold water for 18 hours soaking which took 15 days for quick seed vigour in seed germination Accordingly it indicated that 18 hours seed soaking duration treatment has enhanced seed softening, quick seed germination and seedling quality traits than other treatments. Among the treatments, the seeds soaked in GA3 200 ppm for 18 hours recorded the highest values for seedling per cent and other seed vigour parameters and it was followed by GA3 150 ppm. Among the treatments studied, T4 (200 ppm) and T5 (250 ppm) recorded early germination, took 9 days to initiate germination, whereas control (T6) took maximum (23.8) days to germinate. Maximum germination registered with GA3 200ppm (T4 -64.74 %) while minimum was recorded with control (T6 - 13.67 %). It enhance seedling vigour parameters at nursery studied through like root length, shoot length, collar diameter, dry matter production and vigour index of seed fortified with GA3 200 ppm escalated over control. Hence, seed fortification with GA3 200 ppm for 18 hours duration is highly useful and easily adoptable for enhanced quick and high quality seedling production especially by commercial nursery growers on Bixa orellana. |