Effect of biodegradable composition for seed coating on early stage of corn growth [Articol]

Abstract

The objective of this research was to evaluate the influence of biodegradable carboxymethylcellulose-based composition on the growth characteristics of coated corn seeds during storage. The seeds of four corn hybrids (P280, P300, P398, P402) were coated with a carboxymethylcellulose-based composition containing an extract of phenolic compounds from Juniperus sabina and natural dye obtained from Phytolacca americana berries. Early growth characteristics (germination, root/shoot lengths, root/shoot biomass, root/seedling vigour, metabolic efficiency) of coated seeds were studied before storage and during four months of storage. During storage, the overall germination of seeds remained at the level of 94-98%, while the length of the roots and seedlings of the germinated seeds increased by 1.2-1.9 and 1.4-1.8 times, respectively. After storage, the coated seeds also showed an increase in the vigour of roots and seedlings (by 1.52.1 times). Thus, the developed composition contributes to the improvement of the growth characteristics of corn seeds and, due to the original dye, allows for easy identification of coated seeds.