OZONE AND AQUA REGIA SEED TREATMENTS ENHANCE GERMINATION IN TOMATO (Solanum lycopersicum L.) AND ROSELLE (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.)

Global food demand has surged, necessitating innovative agricultural practices to mitigate environmental impacts and ensure food security. This study investigates the effects of pre-sowing treatments, including ozonated water and aqua regia, on the germination of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) seeds. A randomized complete block design was used, comparing treatments to a deionized water control. Seeds were subjected to one-minute exposures, and germination metrics were assessed over 10 days. Results indicated that the ozone treatment significantly enhanced tomato seed germination rates compared to the control and aqua regia (Kruskal-Wallis, p ≤ 0.01). While statistical significance was not observed for all treatments in roselle, a trend towards improved germination with ozonated water and aqua regia was noted. Germination indices, including germination percentage, rate, and synchrony, were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA), revealing distinct treatment effects. PCA highlighted that the ozone treatment promoted rapid and enhanced germination in tomato, correlating with metrics such as emergence rate and peak germination percentage. Aqua regia demonstrated efficacy in roselle, likely due to scarification of the seed coat. The study suggests that optimized ozone treatments can serve as a biostimulant, enhancing germination velocity, while aqua regia effectively improves germination in species with hard seed coats. These findings contribute to understanding the potential applications of pre-sowing treatments for improving crop production and sustainability.