Maximizing Seed Yield and Quality in Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) through Seed Priming

An investigation was undertaken to assess the efficacy of various seed priming treatments and soaking durations on seed quality enhancement and yield in cowpea cv. Utkal Manika. The seeds were subjected to various priming treatments viz., hydropriming, soaking in KNO3 , 1% NaCl, and 50ppm GA3 for 4 and 6 hours for all the treatments and the untreated seed was considered as control. Among the priming treatments studied, the highest enhancement was observed in 1% KNO3 for 4h (83% germination, 81% field emergence, 3550 SVI-I , 1125 SVI-II, 19.66 pods per plant, 15.06 seeds per pod, 16.09g hundred seed weight, 22.26g seed yield per plant and 15.16q yield per hectare) followed by 1% NaCl for 4h (82% germination, 80% field emergence, 3395 SVI-I, 1095 SVI-II, 19.26 pods per plant, 14.73 seeds per pod, 15.43g hundred seed weight, 20.20g yield per plant and 13.08q yield per hectare) in comparison to the control. However, 3-4 days earliness in flowering behaviour was observed in 50ppmGA3 for 4h, H2 O for 6h and 50ppmGA3 for 6h in comparison to the control. All the priming treatments resulted in enhancement of germination over the control (67%). Besides germination, there were significant improvement in length and dry weight of seedlings and seed vigour indices. There was significant enhancement in most of the field characteristics except plant height, number of primary and secondary branches and pod length.