Abstract

Seed pelleting is a seed quality enhancement technique that improves crop performance by allowing for precision planting and supplementary nutrition, leading to uniform and vigorous field stand. In chillies, initial germination and seedling establishment can be problematic, and seed pelleting can enhance germination and vigor of seedlings, leading to enhanced yield. In this study, freshly harvested seeds of chillies cv. K 1 were pelleted using gum acacia as an adhesive, and observations were taken on pellet firmness, number of pelleted seeds, germination percentage, seedling length, and vigor index. The seeds were then packed in different storage containers and evaluated for seed viability, seedling length, and vigor. The results showed that arappu leaf powder pelleting was more efficient than rice husk powder pelleting in terms of pellet firmness and number of pelleted seeds, and resulted in 15% more germination compared to control.

Keywords: Germination percentage observations, seedling length observations and vigor index observations