Seed pelleting with magnesium sulfate and potassium chloride on tobacco seed germination and vigor

Abstract

The tobacco seeds are very small, providing result in small and weak seedlings. The aim of this experiment was to evaluate effects of seed pelleting with plant nutrient on tobacco seed quality. This experiment was conducted at the Seed Technology Laboratory of Seed Processing Plant, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University. Tobacco seeds were pelleted with pumice 150 g per 3 g of tobacco seeds as a filler and 4% (w/v) Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) 40 ml as a binder. Different rates of each chemical compound; magnesium sulfate and potassium chloride were incorporated in the pellet material as the follows; 0.5, 1, 2 and 3 g per 3 g of tobacco seeds. The tobacco seeds were pelleted by pellet-machine model SKK11. After pelleting process, the pelleted seeds were taken for quality testing. The result indicated that the seeds pelleted with 1 g of KCl provided the highest germination and speed of germination at 96 percent and 12.84 plants per day, by testing respectively under laboratory condition and 86 percent and 9.97 plants per day respectively tested under greenhouse condition. The comparison between the pelleted seeds with MgSO₄ and KCl were not found the statistical difference when tested quality under laboratory condition, but it was found the statistical difference when tested under greenhouse condition. It also found that the seeds pelleted with 0.5 g of KCl gave the highest vigour when tested by accelerated aging method.