Evaluation of seed quality in three released varieties of Solanum aethiopicum Shum across seasons
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2025-05-29
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Uganda Christian University
Abstract
Solanum aethiopicum Shum presents differences in germination performance with a relatively low germination percentage of 0-25% and this is attributed to the relative response of different varieties to germination conditions caused by intraspecific factors such as genetics. With progression of generations over seasons, seeds vary in the stability levels of inheritance of superior traits for germination pointing out the difference in levels of seed quality for efficient crop establishment and growth. This research evaluated seed quality of Solanum aethiopicum Shum varieties E11, E15, and E16 over two seasons and the effect of germination synchrony on plant growth performance. This was objectively to check for stability of germination of the varieties with progression over seasons and establish how levels of germination synchrony influence plant establishment and growth.
The experiment was carried out in a screen house at Uganda Christian University, Mukono using a Completely Randomized Design, with three replicates for three varieties. Germination study was conducted in a healing chamber and germination metrics recorded were germination percentage, mean germination time, germination velocity index, and germination synchrony. Subsequent plant growth was conducted in a screen house and growth metrics studied were plant height, plant canopy, stem girth, leave dimensions, and petiole traits.
Results of the study indicated that germination performance varied across all varieties over seasons with p-value 0.229 for germination percentage, p-value 2.46 for Mean Germination Time, p-value 0.046 for Germination Velocity Index, and p-value 0.064 for Germination Synchrony at significance level of 5%. Furthermore, different levels of germination synchrony across the varieties had marginal to significant effects on plant growth performance where variety E11 expressed relatively stable genetic expression across seasons in its germination rates followed by varieties E15 and E16. Additionally, different germination synchrony levels exhibited variations in all plant growth parameters with exception of petiole length suggesting a strong influence of germination synchrony on plant establishment other the germination velocity index on plant growth.