Effects of Chemical Seed Priming on Seed Germination, Yield and Post-Harvest Quality of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench)

Abstract

The growth of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench) is often limited by slow and non-uniform germination due to hard seed coats leading to poor stand establishment and yield. Seed priming is a simple and cost-effective technique that can improve the seed germination and the crop yield. This study evaluated five chemical priming treatments viz. hydropriming (dH₂O), salicylic acid (SA, 100 ppm), potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH₂PO₄, 3%), diammonium phosphate (DAP, 0.5%) and copper sulfate (CuSO₄·5H₂O, 100 ppm) against an unprimed control on germination, growth, yield and post-harvest quality of okra. Significant differences were observed among primed treatments compared with the unprimed control. Regarding germination, DAP (0.5%) produced the earliest seedling emergence (4.33 days) and highest germination percentage (89.95%), while KH₂PO₄ (3%) recorded the greatest seedling vigor index (939.47) and survival percentage (88.57%). For vegetative growth and yield, DAP (0.5%) promoted the shortest flowering period (36 days) and tallest plant height (106.65 cm), whereas KH₂PO₄ (3%) achieved the longest fruit length (16.65 cm), highest seeds per pod (57.89), and maximum total yield per plant (693.71 g). In terms of post-harvest quality, SA (100 ppm) most effectively minimized weight loss (15.94%) and color deterioration, while KH₂PO₄ (3%) recorded the lowest pod rotting (10.33%) under polyethylene storage over 12 days. Pearson correlation revealed strong positive associations between germination percentage and total yield (r = 0.88), while post-harvest deterioration traits were negatively correlated with yield performance. Among the tested treatments, KH₂PO₄ (3%) showed the most consistent overall performance in improving seedling vigor, yield, and post-harvest quality of okra. Therefore, it may be considered the most suitable seed priming treatment under the conditions of this study. However, Profitability analysis should be done before advising widespread adoption by farmers. SAARC J. Agric., 24(1): 167-184 (2026)