Influence of Seed Priming Agents on the Germination and Field Performance of Pepper (Capsicum spp) in Guinea Savanah Region of Nigeria

Insufficient seedling emergence and inappropriate stand establishment are the main constraints in the production of crops particularly seeds of vegetables and small seeded grasses. Various studies have been carried out to reduce the period between sowing to emergence as this play a key role in crop production. One of the important developments in this area has been the use of seed priming technique. A field and screen house studies was carried out at the University of Abuja Research Farm to evaluate the influence of different priming agents on the establishment and performance of soybean in the Guinea Savanna region of Nigeria. Five treatments were used in the study, four priming agents (gibberrelic acid, sodium chloride (NaCl), coconut water and warm water) and the control. The study was arranged in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. Seed priming improved germination percentage of pepper. The pepper primed with gibberrelic acid significantly increased growth and yield components (number of leaves, number of flowers length of main vine etc. ) of both experiments.