SP (Soaking-priming), DP (drum-priming), OP (osmo-priming), and SMP (solid matrix priming) were conducted on watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris Schrad), sintojoa rootstock(Cucurbita maxima Duch. × Cucurbita moschata Duch.), and pepper(Capsicum annum L.) ...
SP (Soaking-priming), DP (drum-priming), OP (osmo-priming), and SMP (solid matrix priming) were conducted on watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris Schrad), sintojoa rootstock(Cucurbita maxima Duch. × Cucurbita moschata Duch.), and pepper(Capsicum annum L.) seeds to improve physiological quality of the seeds. The processes and conditions leading to the most effective quality-improving outcomes were explored and economic evaluations for the seed industry was made to enable the practical applications in the actual seed business.
In the case of watermelon seeds, SMP proved to be the most effective process in terms of the germination rate, which improved up to 98% under the following conditions: 25°C temperature, 15% powder ratio, and 25% SMC. However, considering the occurrence of abnormal radicles and economic efficiency of using powder, an optimal outcome was reached by the SMP process with 95% germination rate under the treatment conditions of 20°C temperature, 10% powder ratio, and 25% SMC. Nevertheless, the overall conclusion in terms of quality improvement effects and economic evaluation showed that the most economically feasible process is drum-priming conducted under the treatment conditions of 25°C temperature, 25% SMC, and 72 h priming time.
Regarding the sintojoa rootstock seeds, SMP proved to be the most effective process in terms of the germination rate, which improved up to 93% under the treatment conditions with 20°C temperature, 15% powder ratio, and 25% SMC. Furthermore, incidences of radicle entanglement phenomenon were relatively low. However, the overall conclusion in terms of quality improvement effects and economic evaluation showed that the most economically feasible process is drum-priming, which is conducted at a treatment temperature of 20°C for 48–72 h with 20% or 25% SMC.
In the case of pepper seeds, the drum-priming process proved to be the most effective in terms of the germination rate, which improved up to 92% under the treatment conditions of 25°C temperature, 35% SMC, and 72 h priming time. However, unlike that in the control plot, the occurrence of abnormal radicles was twice as high, and therefore, for obtaining the desirable seedling quality, the treatment temperature was adjusted to 20°C, although the obtained germination rate of 85% was somewhat low. Further, the conclusion based on the overall evaluation such as quality improvement effects and economic evaluation showed that drum-priming is the most economically feasible process.
The overall evaluation in terms of the effects of processing for seed quality improvement as well as from the aspect of economic feasibility for the seed industry yielded the following conclusion: for watermelon seeds, sintojoa rootstock seeds, and red pepper seeds, the DP was the most efficient process for seed quality improvement and economic feasibility for the seed industry which was considered by mass treatment possibility, availability of equipment building, environmental pollution and human health hazards, and return on investment and sales increase effects.