Sett Priming with Plant Growth Promoting Chemicals Affecting Germination and Physio-Biochemical Attributes in Sugarcane

This study was aimed at improving sprouting in sugarcane cultivar CoLk 94184 by pre-planting soaking in growth-promoting chemicals viz., ethrel (100 ppm) and potassium chloride (0.2%) along with untreated control for 24 h. In both the treatments, reducing sugars contents and soluble acid invertase activity increased in developing sprouts; increase was about 183% and 125% in reducing sugars, and 41% and 28% in acid invertase activities over control by ethrel and potassium chloride treatment, respectively. Reducing sugars contents and activity of acid invertase enzyme of sprouted buds exhibited significant positive correlation with bud sprouting. Treated setts recorded higher bud sprouting. Germination percent increased in treated setts as compared with untreated control. An increase in germination was about 182% and 106%; 74% and 45%; 44% and 36% in ethrel and KCl soaked setts over control at 30, 40 and 60 days after planting (DAP), respectively. Effectiveness of setts soaking in Ethrel solution was relatively more than KCl in terms of bud sprouting and early plant vigour improvement. Chlorophyll, carotenoids contents and NR activity were higher in treated plants, the highest in ethrel treatment. These findings indicated that soaking of setts in growth-promoting chemicals viz., ethrel (100 ppm) and potassium chloride (0.2%) solutions help in enhancing bud sprouting, germination percent by altering some of the key biochemical attributes essential for the early growth and better establishment of setts under field conditions which is otherwise poor in untreated setts.