EFFECT OF PRIMING ON SEED GERMINATION AND GENETIC VARIATION IN KORERIMA [Aframomum corrorima (Braun) P.C.M. Jansen] GENOTYPES

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of seed priming on seed germination and genetic variations among korerima genotypes. Twenty five korerima genotypes were evaluated for agro morphology characters and seed germination quality characters in a simple lattice and completely randomized (CRD) designs, respectively. Two genotypes were used to assess the effect of priming on seed germination in CRD with three replications in factorial arrangement of six priming materials (distilled, tap water, cow urine, gibberellins acid, potassium di hydrogen phosphate , potassium nitrate) and three durations of priming at Tepi National Spices Research Centre in 2016. Analysis of variance results revealed the presence of significant differences among genotypes for all characters. Moreover, the genotypes had dry capsule and pure seed yields ranged from 203.6 to 921.83, from 36.33 to 170.5 kg ha-1, respectively. Unprimed seeds of genotypes seed germination percentage and speed of germination ranged from 48.33% to73.33% and 2.83 to 4.45, respectively. Priming had improved the seed germination potential significantly of the two korerima genotypes (093/00 and 059/03) with varied magnitude in which seed germination and speed of germination of primed seeds improved by about 11.62 to 41.99% and 1.16 to 3.57, respectively. The percentage of normal seedlings increased by about 5.61 to 18.24%, while fresh ungerminated and dead seeds significantly reduced by about 14.33 to 15.87 and 1.75% to 4.59%, respectively, as compared to unprimed seeds. Priming of seeds with gibberellins acid and cow urine significantly improved the seed quality of korerima than other priming materials. Most of the characters had low Phenotypic (PCV) and genotypic (GCV) coefficient of variations, heritability (H2) and genetic advance (GAM) except number of capsule bearing sucker per plant, fresh capsule length, dry capsule diameter, dry capsule length, dry capsule yield in kg ha-1 pure seed yield, and number of seed per capsule had high values. Number of capsule bearing suckers per plant, number of capsules per plant, dry capsule weight, total seed weight per capsule and dry capsule yield kg ha-1 had positive and significant correlation with pure seed and dry capsule yield, respectively. Therefore, selection of genotypes for the mentioned characters could be used as simultaneous selection of genotypes for seed and dry capsule yield. The genetic distances estimated by Euclidean distance (ED) varied from 2.53 to 10.8 with a mean distance of 5.66 and standard deviation of 1.23. The clustering based on Euclidian distance matrix grouped the 25genotypes into seven distinct clusters. In conclusion, the genotypes were diverse with wide range of variations for most seed and dry capsule yield, yield related characters and seed quality that could be exploited to bring improve the crop either through direct selection and crossing of most distant genotypes from different clusters