Effectiveness of Seed Priming on Vigor and Viability of Moringa Seeds (Moringa oleifera L.)

Moringa is often referred to as the "miracle tree" due to its rich nutrient content and medicinal properties. The increasing demand for moringa seeds has highlighted the need for effective propagation methods; however, germination remains limited by the hard seed coats and prolonged dormancy periods. This gap underscores the importance of studying moringa, particularly in efforts to enhance germination success and initial growth. This study aims to evaluate the effects of various seed priming materials, soaking durations, and the interactions between different types of seed priming materials and soaking times on the vigor and viability of moringa seeds. The research was conducted in the Biotechnology Laboratory and greenhouse at the Faculty of Agriculture, National Development University "Veteran" East Java. This study employed a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with a factorial arrangement of two factors, comprising fifteen combinations and three replications. The first factor is the type of seed priming material (S), which includes Aqua Destillata, seaweed extract, coconut water, PEG 6000, and KNO3. The second factor is the soaking time for the priming solution (L), which consists of 12 hours, 24 hours, and 36 hours. Observations include germinability, maximum growth potential, growth rate, vigor index, and sprout weight. The combination treatment of PEG 6000 as the seed priming material with a soaking time of 12 hours yielded the highest average values for germination and maximum growth potential. A single treatment using PEG 6000 resulted in the highest average vigor index. Additionally, a single treatment with a soaking duration of 12 hours also produced the highest average vigor index. The results of this study can be recommended as optimal treatments to enhance the germination capacity and vigor of Moringa seeds.