Probing the Impact of Seed Coat Removal on the Germination Performance of Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia) Using an Image Analyzer

Abstract

The germination speed and completeness of bitter gourd seeds were enhanced using two seed coat treatments: scarification and removal of the seed coat. In comparison to the scarified seed and control, removing the seed coat improved the germination speed and completeness, making it the most successful method. When there are not enough seeds or when a research project needs a full, homogenous group of seedlings, this method would be the most helpful. The seed image analyzer, which can capture the small variations in seed parameters between groups, showed a triphasic pattern of water uptake during the imbibition process of germination of bitter gourd seeds, which was in accordance with the conventional methods of analyzing it. This was shown as a correlation between the mean germination rate and the perimeter of seeds.