HYDRATION-DEHYDRATION TREATMENTS FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF GERMINABILITY AND BETTER SEEDLING EMERGENCE OF BASIL (OCIMUM BASILICUM L.) SEED

摘要

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is very important medicinal plants in perspective of Ayurveda. Maintenance of basil seed vigour and viability is essential for better crop stand. Hydration-dehydration treatments in two months (medium vigour) old basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) seeds were given for the improvement of storability and field emergence after subsequent storage. Hydration-dehydration treatments were given with distilled water and different solutions of KNO_3(10~(-2) and 10~(-4) M), acetyl salicylic acid (10~(-2) and 10~(-4) M) and para-amino benzoic acid (PABA, 10~(-2) and 10~(-4) M) for 2 hours at room temperature. Few treatments (KNO_3 10~(-2)M and PABA, 10~(-2) M ) were significantly effective over control for the maintenance of seed germinability and field emergence.