Value addition to seeds through coating and pelleting in horticultural Crops (Papaya, Onion, Carrot, China aster)

• To standardize the technique of pelleting and coating for papaya, onion, carrot, China aster seeds
• To find out the effect of various pelleting /coating materials on seed germination, seedling emergence in the field
• To identify suitable chemicals, bio-fertilizers etc. to enrich the pelleted seeds and to evaluate the benefits of these materials on seed quality and crop performance for growth and yield in the field
• To determine the storage behaviour of pelleted seeds
• Studies on seed germination in fresh and old seeds of papaya

Date of Start of this programme:

1-4-2009

• Combination of vermi compost, cow dung and clay powders as filler materials and combination of methyl cellulose (1.0%) and polyvinyl alcohol (1.5%) as adhesive formed firm pellets with oval to round shape in  onion, carrot and tomato.
• The yield/ha from pelleted onion and carrot seeds was on par with non pelleted seed but weight per bulb/root was significantly better in pelleted seed than non pelleted seed.
• Viability of bioagents was reduced drastically after 3 months of storage  under ambient conditions
• Pelleted treatments with biofertilizers showed better seedling growth than just non pelleted seeds of tomato
• Carrot and tomato pelleted seeds could be stored for 6 months but onion pelleted seeds showed slight decline in germination after 5 months of storage under ambient condition.
• Soaking in GA3    for 24h  markedly improved germination of fresh papaya seed  under sub optimal temperature and speed of germination even under optimum temperature.