EFFECT OF ORGANIC AND INORGANIC SEED PRIMING ON SOYBEAN GERMINATION AND YIELD PARAMETERS

ABSTRACT Efficiency of different biopriming agents i.e. biocontrol agents (Trichoderma harzianum @ 0.6%, Pseudomonas fluorescens @ 0.6%, Bacillus subtilis @ 0.6%) and fungicides (Tebuconazole 5% EC @ 0.2%, Captan 70% WP + Hexaconazole 5% EC @ 0.2%, Carboxin 37.5% + Thiram 37.5% @ 0.2%, Captan @ 0.2%, Carbendazium @ 0.2%, Mancozeb 50% + Carbendazim 25% WS @ 0.2%) in enhancing seed germination, seedling growth and yield were investigated in soybean seeds of JS-335 variety. Primed seeds were subjected for lab and field experiments. Under lab condition, combifungicides carboxin 37.5% + thiram 37.5% @ 0.2% recorded significantly higher seed germination and root length. Whereas, shoot length and seedling length was higher in Trichoderma harzianum @ 0.6%. Under field condition the Bacillus subtilis @ 0.6% recorded highest seed yield followed by captan 70%WP + hexaconazole 5% EC @ 0.2% and carbendazim 25% + mancozeb 50% WS @ 0.2%. In all other seed priming treatments there was an increase in number of pods per plant, pod weight per plant, seed weight per plant, 100 seed weight and seed yield compared to untreated control