Effect of temperature, light and sowing depth on seed germination of celosia Argentea L

Abstract

Background and Objective: Celosia argentea is an annual leafy vegetable that has gained prominence for its role in combating nutritional challenges and as a herb of therapeutic importance in many parts of the world. Despite the reported nutritional and pharmacological applications of C. argentea in most countries of the world, it is little known or not recognized in many other countries like South Africa, where there is a dearth of information on its utilization in any form whatsoever. In an effort to improve and encourage the domestication of this neglected nutraceutical plant, this study was designed to evaluate the effect of temperature, light and sowing depth on seed germination of Celosia argentea in order to put forth the best environmental condition necessary for its germination and domestication in South Africa. Methodology: Seed viability was tested using triphenyltetrazolium chloride, seed germination under different light, temperatures and sowing depths were evaluated. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and MINITAB was used for statistical analysis. Results: The results revealed that the average seed weight of 100 seeds was 78.4 mg and the viability of the seeds was 88.0±2.6%. The optimum condition for germination were 25°C, alternating light and dark and a sowing depth of 1 cm. Although, maximum cumulative percentage germination was recorded at the temperature range of 20-30°C, seeds of Celosia argentea showed remarkable tolerance at the low temperature of 15°C. Conclusion: It is evident from this study that the seed germination of the species is solely dependent on appropriate temperature (25°C), alternating light and dark and a sowing depth of 1 cm. Therefore, this species has the potential of thriving under varying environmental conditions.