Study of the effect of pre-sowing electromagnetic impact on the development of primary root system of cotton seeds after different duration of storage. I. Length of sprout and root

Minka Koleva and Kiril Sirakov

Abstract: Seeds of five cotton varieties – Chirpan-539, Helius, Trakia, Natalia and IPK Nelina, stored for one and two years, were subjected to pre-sowing electromagnetic treatments. Stimulating effect of treatments on the length of sprout and root has been established. Sprout length increased by 10.1-15.3% compared to the untreated control. Options 1 [U = (8…5)kV and τ = (15…35)s] and 4 [U = (6…3)kV and τ = (5…25)s] were the best ones. The length of root increased by 5.3-17.5% and the total length of sprout and root, as a generalized index, increased by 7.5-16.4%. Option 4 was the best one. Electromagnetic treatments had different impact on seeds under different storage durations due to their different physiological state. All options of electromagnetic treatment had a positive effect on the length of sprout and root, respectively on the total length of sprout and root, for the seeds stored for one year. During the two-year storage of seeds, all treatments showed significant and insignificant lower values than the control variant. Greater length of root and sprout than the control variant (Chirpan-539, one-year storage, untreated seeds) was found only in the one-year storage of seeds, for individual varieties. The total length of sprout and root during the one-year storage of seeds was greater for the varieties: Natalia – by 22.9-24.1% in options 1 and 4; Nelina – by 17.8-23.0% in options 2 [U = (6…3)kV and τ = (15…35)s], 4 and 5 [U = (4…2)kV and τ = (5…25)s]); Helius – by 16.5-19.5% in options 2 and 4; Chirpan-539 – 15.3% in option 4. Compared to the untreated controls corresponding to each variety and period of storage, a positive effect on the length of sprout and root was observed for all varieties in both storage periods. The strongest stimulating effect of pre-sowing electromagnetic treatments was found for the variety Helius, in the one-year storage of seeds, the total length of sprout and root increased by 36.5-43.9% in options 1, 2 and 4, compared to the respective control.

Keywords: cotton seeds; duration of storage; length; pre-sowing electromagnetic treatment; root; sprout

Date published: 2023-02-24