Seed germination and seedling growth of annual chrysanthemum (Glebionis coronaria L). as influenced by priming and growing media

The study was conducted at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (Punjab) during 2020-21 to investigate the effect of seed priming and growing media on seed germination and seedling growth of annual chrysanthemum (Glebionis coronaria L). The seeds were given presowing treatment with distilled water (control), KNO3 @ 0.1%, 0.2%, GA₃ @ 25 and 50 ppm and sown in plug trays in mid-October as per different media compositions viz., soil: FYM (1:1), soil: cocopeat: vermicompost (1:1:1), and soil: leaf manure (1:1). The results showed that among seed treatments, GA₃ @ 25 ppm recorded lowest imbibition period, highest germination percentage, lowest germination period (5.55 days, 90.33%, 11.56 days); maximum shoot length, number of leaves, vigour index², dry matter percentage and SPAD index (7.56 cm, 7.42, 10.92, 10.27%, 35.25), respectively. Among media, soil: cocopeat: vermicompost (1:1:1) was recorded best for lowest imbibition period, highest germination percentage, germination index, lowest germination period (5.90 days, 86.61%, 0.78, 12.10 days), maximum shoot length, number of leaves, vigour index² and SPAD index (7.62 cm, 7.33, 10.59, 34.97), respectively. Among interaction, GA₃ @ 25 ppm + soil: cocopeat: vermicompost (1:1:1) combination recorded highest germination percentage, lowest germination period, imbibition period (92.24%, 10.00 days, 5.00 days), highest shoot length, number of leaves, vigour index² and SPAD index (8.20 cm, 8.17, 12.26, 38.50), respectively. Hence, it could be concluded that pre-sowing seed treatment of GA₃ @ 25 ppm for 24 hours and then sowing in equal ratio of soil: cocopeat: vermicompost resulted in improved seed germination and seedling growth parameters in annual chrysanthemum.