STUDIES ON IMBIBITION INJURY IN BITTERGOURD SEEDS

Injury to the embryo during rapid water imbibition has been reported in many crops. A study was made in bittergourd cv 'MDU 1' to assess the imbibition damage and to obviate it through controlled imbibition techniques. Coat intact and coat removed seeds were allowed to absorb moisture at 25-degrees-C for 12 hours by soaking in water, placing on moist germination paper, mixing with moist sand or by equilibrating under 100% RH and were then sown in the field along whith air-dry seeds (6% moisture). Coat removed seeds absorbed water fast and emerged early in the field but the total emergence and seedling vigour were significantly less compared with coat intact seeds. Soaking in water caused maximum imbibition but the earliest emergence occurred in seeds in sand. Total emergence was on par among the different imbibitional methods and the control implying that no imbibition injury occurred. Seedling vigour was maximum in seed in sand.