Potentiality of Bioagents on Seed Quality Enhancement in Chickpea

Abstract

Planting healthy seeds and other inputs have an impact on seed quality, fungal invasion deteriorates the seed quality in soil and storage. Studies on chickpea carried out at Seed Research and Technology Center, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad during spring 2010-11 & 2011-12 revealed that benomyl was found effective followed by Pseudomonas fluorescens in the inhibition of mycelial growth of Fusarium solani. Maximum germination percentage was recorded with Benomyl (Benomyl 500 WP) @ 2 g/kg seed (treated check) and Tebuconazole @ 1 ml/ kg seed (95 per cent) followed by treatment with P. fluorescens @ 10 g/kg seed along with soil application of P. fluorescens @ 3 kg/acre (94 per cent). Maximization of growth parameters like root length, shoot length and total seedling length were observed with Benomyl @ 2 g/ kg seed  as 17.0 cm, 10.3 cm and 27.3 cm, respectively. Considering seedling vigour index as an important seed quality character, P. fluorescens and Benomyl @ 2 g/kg seed recorded high seedling vigor index. The per cent recovery of infested seeds was found to be low with treated seeds when compared to the control.