Effect of Ethephon on Seed Emergence of Balsam Pear (Momordica charantia L.)

Abstract

The seed emergence of balsam pear (Momordica charantia L.) immediately after harvest tends to be delayed. The effect of ethephon treatment on seed emergence was compared with that of methods involving dipping in water and gibberellin solutions, seed coat-division treatments and seeds stored for 7 months. ‘Aochu-naga’ seeds 2 weeks after harvest were used in this experiment. Seeds in the control (non-dipping in water) began to emerge 8 days after seeding; 80% of those seeds had emerged by 17 days after seeding. However, seeds dipped in 200 or 1000 ppm ethephon solution for 12 hours began to emerge 5 days after seeding; 80% of those seeds had emerged by 8 days after seeding. The ethephon treatment promoted seed emergence more quickly than dipping in water and gibberellin solutions or seed coat-division treatments. The days for seed emergence did not differ between the seeds dipped in 1000 ppm ethephon solution and the seeds stored for 7 months and, furthermore, growth of the plants also was normal. We suggested that the effect of ethephon on breaking of dormancy in a fresh seed of balsam pear is not cultivar specific because the effect of ethephon on seed emergence was similar among the 5 cultivars.