PRIMING PAPAYA SEEDS REDUCES SEED GERMINATION TIME

Papaya seeds from four open pollinated papayas varieties 'Cariflora', 'Puerto Rico 6-65', 'Solo- 64' and 'Waimanalo 162' were soaked for 5 days in water or -1 MPa solutions of CaCl2, Ca(N03)2, K.C1 or KNOs. Following priming, treated seeds were rinsed and air dried for two days prior to planting. Untreated seeds were planted as controls. Seedling emergence was recorded daily. Priming reduced the mean time for seedling emergence for all salt treatments. The KNO, treatment resulted in the greatest seedling emergence in the shortest length of time. Pretreating papaya seeds with a salt solution can be used to enhance seed germination and plant emergence in a shorter length of time than untreated seed