Msc

An experiment was undertaken at the Department of Seed Science and
Technology, College of Agriculture, Kerala Agricultural University, Vellanikkara,
Thrissur to test the efficacy of nanosized particles of Zinc Oxide and custard apple leaf in
seed treatments.. The study consisted of three experiments.
In the first experiment, seeds were treated with the nanoparticles as
presowing treatments and the crop raised to ascertain its effect on growth and yield.
Nano ZnO @ 500 mg kg-1 of seed (T4) performed superior for days to first
flowering (73.33 days), fruit weight at maturity (2.27g), fruit yield per plant (224.56g),
seed yield per plant (24.02g). Nano ZnO@ 400 mg kg-1 of seed (T3) performed superior
for days to 50 per cent flowering (79.67days), plant height (42.94cm) and branches per
plant (12.67). Nano ZnO @ 500mg kg-1 of seed (T4) perfomed well in case seed yield and
seed yield attributes.
In experiment II, seeds were subjected to the same treatments as in the
previous experiment and stored for six months. The stored seeds were then used to raise
the crop. Nano ZnO @ 500 mg kg-1 of seed (T4) treatment recorded least number of
days to first flowering (76.33) hihest number of branches per plant(14.86), fruits per
plant(108.67), fruit weight at maturity(7.10g), fruit yield per plant (770.68g), number of
seeds per fruit (73.80) and seed yield per plant (60.56g). Nano ZnO @ 500mg kg-1
(T4)
of seed perfomed well in case seed yield and seed yield attributes.
In the third experiment, three month old seeds were treated with
nanoparticles as enumerated under Experiment I and stored for three months. Seed
quality parameters were measured during due course of storage as per ISTA standards at
monthly intervals. Highly significant differences were observed among the treatments. At
the end of the storage period (three months) nano ZnO @ 400 mg kg-1 of seed recorded
highest germination value for 60 per cent (64.33),and shoot length (4.21cm), root length
(8.79), seedling dry weight(24.96), vigour index I (836) and vigour index II (1606).
Nano Custard leaf powder @ 500 mg kg-1
of seed treatment infection after three months
of storage both in case of blotter method (26.67) and agar method (33.33) .
Zinc Oxide nano particles @500mg kg-1 of seed where found promising as
prestorage and presowing treatment and @ 400 mg kg-1 of seed was good as a mid
storage treatment. The present study indicates that seed longevity, viability and seedling
performance can be enhanced by treating the chilli seeds with nano particles both organic
and inorganic nano particles