Seedling vigour study in pigeonpea {Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) hybrids and varieties

摘要

An investigation was conducted to study the germination and early seedling vigour of pigeonpea liybrids and varieties during kharif 2011 at Parbhani, Maharashtra, India. Three hybrids and three varieties of pigeonpea were sown in pots under greenhousecondition. Data was obtained on germination percentage (%), radicle length (cm), plumule length (cm), leaf area (dm~2), chlorophyll content, seedling fresh weight (g), seedling dry weight (g), seedling vigour index (I), plumule: radicle length (cm) after 20 days of sowing while 100 seed weight (g) was taken before sowing. All the genotypes recorded significant differences for all the characteristics studied. Hybrids showed its superiority over varieties for germination percentage (5.7%), radicle length(40%), leaf area (72.2%), chlorophyll content (15.8%), seedling fresh weight (12%), seedling dry weight (14.7%), seedling vigour index (7.7%), and 100 seed weight (13.2%). Hybrids produced longer radicle length and high seedling vigour index (I). Hybrids recorded higher seedling fresh weight and seedling dry weight than the varieties.