Germination study of seeds treated with gibberellic acid

The study evaluated the germination performance of twenty crop and wild seed species treated with gibberellic acid under light and dark conditions. The objectives were to determine the variation in mean germination percentage (MGP), mean germination time (MGT), and mean germination rate (MGR), to compare the response of seeds across different exposures (0, 12, and 24 hours), and to assess the role of light and dark phases in germination efficiency. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design with three replicates of 20 seeds per treatment. Germination tests were carried out using Petri dishes lined with filter paper, and observations were recorded daily for 14 days. The results showed that Sorghum bicolor and Avena sativa exhibited the highest germination performance across treatments, with MGP values of 93.3–96.7% and 93.3–100.0%, shortest MGT (2.0–2.1 days), and highest MGR (0.96–1.00 seeds/day). Pennisetum glaucum followed closely with MGP of 90.0–100.0%, MGT of 2.0–2.3 days, and MGR of 0.70–0.93. Conversely, several wild legumes (Stylosanthes guianensis, Sesbania sesban, Corchorus olitorius, Clitoria ternatea, and Indigofera tinctoria) exhibited no germination (0%) across all treatments within 14 days, while vegetables such as Abelmoschus esculentus, Cucumis sativus, and Citrullus lanatus showed relatively low germination percentages (≤ 63.3%) with longer MGT values (≥ 2.7 days). Seeds under light conditions consistently outperformed those under dark phases in terms of MGP, MGT, and MGR, confirming the stimulatory role of light in enhancing germination efficiency. The study concluded that cereals such as S. bicolor, A. sativa, and P. glaucum had higher germination performance, while wild legumes did not germinate within 14 days and require additional pre-treatment for improved germination.