Effect of Various Organic Priming Treatments on the Performance of Bittergourd (Momordica Charantia L)

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out in Godak-10, Ilam, during the cropping season of February to July 2021, to investigate the effect of organic seed priming treatments on bitter gourd growth performance. Hard seed coat of bitter gourd puts mechanical restriction on embryo development and it is the reason for poor seedling problems. Seed priming is the method not only to improve germinations, vigour and uniform emergence of seedlings in field conditions but also to improve crop establishment and ultimately enhance the yield. The experiment was done in a double-factor randomized complete block design with 3 replications and 8 treatments. Three varieties of bittergourd viz. Palee, Asmita (Syngenta), and local, were assigned as the first factor. Whereas, priming treatments with cow milk and water 1:1, cow urine and water 1:1, cow dung slurry and water 1:2, water and control (no priming) were assigned as second factor. Parameters such as seed germination percentage (83.66%), day to emergence (9 days), seedling’s stem diameter (3.12 mm), shoot weight (1.8 gm), shoot length (11.5 cm), root length (14.4 cm), plant height 20 days after transplanting (67.4 cm) and 40 days after transplanting (125 cm), number of leaves 20 days after transplanting (21) and tendrils 20 days after transplanting (14), day to first flowering (33 days), day to first fruit set (39 days) and yield (3.02 kg/plant) were significantly higher in the variety Palee. Seed germination percentage (71.55%), seedling stem diameter (3.05 mm) were significantly higher with the priming treatment of cow urine and water 1:1, but other parameters, the priming treatment was significantly at par with all treatments except control. The study indicated that presoaking of bittergourd seeds in organic priming treatment, i.e., cow urine and water 1:1, could render better growth performance.