Author(s):

Kathiravan Muthuselvan and Marimuthu Subbaiyan

Abstract: Experiment was conducted during 2013 at Agricultural Research station, Vaigaidam to identify the effect of organic priming and foliar nutrition with herbal leaf extracts of chicory (<em>Cichorium indybus </em>L.), clerodendron (<em>Clerodendran inerme </em>L.), noni (<em>Morinda tinctoria </em>L.) and calotropis (<em>Calotropis procera </em>L.) on seedling vigour and productivity potential in maize. Maize seeds were soaked in fresh leaf extracts of <em>Cichorium indybus </em>L.), (5, 10 and 15 %), <em>Morinda tinctoria</em>, <em>Clerodendran inerme</em> and <em>Calotropis procera</em> (1, 2 and 3 % ) in double the volume of herbal extract for 12 h. Seeds soaked in water (12 h) formed the control. Maize seed priming with 1 % leaf extract of <em>Morinda tinctoria</em>, significantly increased the germination (94 %), rate of germination (16.26) and dry matter production (2.74 g) compared to control. The electrical conductivity (0.190 dSm^-1), leachate amino acids (27.52 mg), sugars (30.72 mg) and lipid peroxidation (0.110 mg) were minimum in leaf 1% extract of <em>Morinda tinctoria</em> but the dehydrogenase, catalase and peroxidase enzyme activity were higher (0.357, 2356 units and 0.390 mg, respectively). Combined effect of seed priming with 1% leaf extract of <em>Morinda tinctoria</em> and foliar nutrition spray with noni ( 2% extract) at 40 and 60 Days After Sowing increased the plant height in both <em>kharif </em>and <em>rabi </em>seasons (207 cm and 212 cm), maximum plant dryweight (266 g and 273 g), more leaf area index (11.10 and 12.03), higher crop growth rate (38.25 g and 40.80 g) and relative growth rate (25.20 mg and 26.12 mg).Tassel initiation<strong> </strong>was early (47 days and 46 days) and produced lengthier cobs (20.75 cm and 21.60 cm), more number of seeds (507 and 523), higher yield (6655 kg/ha and 6710 kg/ha) with maximum 100 seed weight (28.93 g and 28.93 g). The present study revealed that subjecting the maize to 12 h seed priming in 1 % leaf extract and foliar nutrition with 2% leaf extract of <em>Morinda tinctoria</em> at 40 and 60 Days after Sowing increased the seedling vigour and yield attributing factors in maize.

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