Influence of Different Concentrations of GA3 on Germination of Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus undatus) Seeds
Ati Priya Soren *
Division of Horticulture, School of Agricultural Sciences, KITS, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
B. S. Manjula
Division of Horticulture, School of Agricultural Sciences, KITS, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
Umesh Chimmalagi
Division of Horticulture, School of Agricultural Sciences, KITS, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
Praveena Katharine
Division of Soil Science, School of Agricultural Sciences, KITS, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
K. Indira Petchiammal
Division of Genetics and Plant Breeding, School of Agricultural Sciences, KITS, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
P. Dinesh Kumar
Division of Agricultural Economics, School of Agricultural Sciences, KITS, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The impact of different concentrations of gibberellic acid (GA₃) on the germination and early seedling growth of dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus) was studied at Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Coimbatore. Seeds were soaked in different concentrations of GA3 such as 60, 80, 100, 120, and 140 ppm along with a control (distilled water) for 12 hours before undergoing germination tests. The experiment followed a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with six treatments, each replicated three times. Key germination parameters, including germination percentage, germination rate, mean germination time, seed vigor index, and germination value, were assessed. Results showed that 140 ppm GA₃ significantly improved germination rate (16.44), seed vigor index (243.00), and survival percentage (96.67%), making it the most effective concentration. Higher GA₃ levels accelerated germination but showed no significant impact on chlorophyll content, fresh weight, or root number. These findings highlight that 140 ppm GA₃ is an optimal concentration for improving seed germination and early seedling growth in dragon fruit cultivation.
Keywords: Dragon fruit, gibberellic acid (GA₃), seed germination, germination rate, seed vigor, survival percentage