Effect of NAA, Triacontonol and Boron on Seed Longivity of Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia L.) cv. PUSA VISESH

Present investigation was carried out to study the effect of NAA, triacontanol and boron on seed longevity of bitter gourd cv. PUSA VISESH at College of Agriculture, Raichur. Seed obtained from the vine plants imposed with treatment NAA (25 and 50 ppm), triacontanol (0.5 and 1.0 ppm), boron (3.0 and 4.0 ppm) water spray and absolute control were used for foliar application at two to four true leaf stage followed by a interval of 60, 75 and 90 days after sowing in the Seed Technology Field Block, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur. Results revealed that the moisture content increased gradually as storage period increased in all the treatments. Seeds were stored in cloth bags under ambient storage condition and seed quality was tested after every month upto end of storage period (February, 2010 – January, 2011). Boron at 4 ppm maintained lower moisture content of seed (7.07 %, 7.19 % and 9.16 %) after first, third and twelve months after storage, respectively. Similarly boron at 4 ppm recorded highest seed germination (88.50 %, 91.00 % and 85.50 %) and dehydrogenase activity (0.350, 0.431 and 0.359 OD values) at the end of first, third and twelve months after storage, respectively.