Genotypic Screening and Seed Treatment Studies for Improving Seed Germination and Vigor in Quinoa

Abstract

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) - a potential pseudo-cereal, native to Andean region of South America is known as “mother grain” as it is rich source of high quality proteins, lipids, minerals and vitamins. The germplasm lines of quinoa  available with Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana possessed low germination (%) under laboratory and field conditions. The present study was aimed to screen fifty promising genotypes of quinoa for germination parameters i.e. germination (%), seedling vigour index I and II, mean germination time and speed of germination using “between-paper” method under controlled conditions in the laboratory. One genotype namely EC-896071 recorded the highest germination i.e. 83.8% followed by genotype EC-896076 which had 70.5% germination. Other genotypes which exhibited germination higher than 40% were EC-896063 (53.3%), EC-896081 (53%), EC-507739 (43.8%) and EC-896091 (42.5%). The above mentioned six quinoa genotypes viz., EC-507739, EC-896063, EC-896071, EC-896076, EC-896081 and EC-896091 were selected for seed treatment studies in order to enhance the germination and seedling vigour. Hydropriming for 2 hours recorded the highest improvement in mean germination time, speed of germination, germination (%), SVI I and II and this time duration was standardized for other seed treatments also. Seeds were also primed with different chemicals viz., magnesium nitrate (0.5%), potassium nitrate (0.5%), potassium dihydrogen phosphate (0.5%), zinc sulphate (0.5%), kinetin (5ppm); and scarified with 5% H₂SO₄ for 10 minutes and hot water (35°C) for 15 minutes. A comparison of hydropriming with all other treatments revealed that hydropriming with 2-hour duration is the best treatment for improving germination and vigour of quinoa genotypes.