Trends in Biosciences

Slow and irregular germination of castor seeds is a important seed technological problem as it poses several disadvantages like initial weed competition, attack of pathogens and vulnerability to drought conditions keeping these problems in focus a field study was initiated to study effect of chemical and biological seed treatments on field emergence of newly released GCH-7 hybrid castor (Ricinus communis L.) during 2012–13 and 2013–14 at Main Agricultural Research Station, department of Seed Science and Technology. University of Agricultural Sciences Dharwad, Karnataka. seed priming with 2 per cent calcium chloride solution recorded significantly early filed emergence (12.27 days), increased field emergence (91.32%), germination index (46.31). whereas, significantly highest seedling survival (88.42%) and lowest seedling mortality (11.58%) was recorded with chemical seed treatment of Carbendazim @ 4.0 g/kg + Thiram @ 3.0 g/kg of seeds as compare to the untreated control (14.04 days, 85.07%, 42.96, 78.27% and 21.73% respectively). Similar results was also noticed during 2012–13 and 2013–14 experiments.