Effect of Crop Protective Agents on Seed Germination and Seedling Emergence in Chilli (Capsicum annum L.) - An In-vitro Study

Crop protective agents (CPAs) are prime requisite for protecting crops from pests and diseases. CPAs are used at different stages of the crop from the seed sowing to harvesting. Seeds are treated with different fungicides as a prophylactic measure against pre-emergence diseases and during seed germination stage different protective agents are applied to safeguard young seedlings from pests. To find out the effect of crop protective agents on seed germination and seedling growth in chilli (Capsicum annum L.) an in-vitro study was conducted using Ethion (1.25, 2.5, 3.75 and 5.0mL/L), Triazophos (0.625, 1.25, 1.875 and 2.5mL/L), Flubendiamide (0.15, 0.3, 0.45 and 0.6mL/L), Emamectin Benzoate (0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 g/L) and Tebuconazole + Trifloxystrobin (0.625, 1.25, 1.875 and 2.5 g/L) against control (distilled water). Correlation study revealed that seedling growth was positively affected by Flubendiamide (r = 0.287), neutral by Emamectin Benzoate (r = 0.012), while retarded growth was observed in Ethion (r = -0.584), Trizophos (r = -0.473) and Tebuconazole+ Trifloxystrobin (r = -0.331) chemicals compared to control. From the statistical analysis, it was found that chilli seed germination was not affected at the tested concentration levels of crop protective agents. Seedling shoot length was significantly (P = 0.05) reduced in Tebuconazole + Trifloxystrobin (1.763cm) and Ethion (3.175cm) compared to control (5.088cm). Seedling shoot length was not significantly affected by Emamectin Benzoate and Triazophos, while it was significantly increased in [email protected]/L (5.88cm) compared to control (5.088cm). Seedlings in Flubendiamide and Emamectin Benzoate produced significantly (P=0.05) longer roots of 7.488cm and 7.688cm respectively, while seedlings in Ethion, Tebuconazole + Trifloxystrobin and Triazophos produced shorter roots (4.00, 4.45 and 4.6cm respectively) compared to control (6.363cm). Rotten seed per cent on 15th day was significantly (P=0.05) lower in Tebuconazole + Trifloxystrobin and Triazophos (5.61 and 11.73%) compared to control (22.45%).