Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) Seed Germination Response to LED Lighting Treatment

Christin H. Bonnu; Eusabius  P. Pega; Esra  F. Karo Karo; I Komang  Sudarma

doi:10.35724/ag.v16i2.7518

Christin H. Bonnu Politeknik Pertanian Negeri Kupang
Eusabius P. Pega Politeknik Pertanian Negeri Kupang
Esra F. Karo Karo Politeknik Pertanian Negeri Kupang
I Komang Sudarma Politeknik Pertanian Negeri Kupang

DOI: https://doi.org/10.35724/ag.v16i2.7518

Keywords: Germination, LED light, Seed vigor index, Watermelon

Abstract

Germination is an initial phase that determines the success of plant growth, including watermelon. Environmental factors such as light play an important role in regulating the physiological responses of seeds. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the germination responses of watermelon seeds (GP, MGT, GR, and SVI) under different LED light treatments and to analyze the relationships among germination parameters during a 60-hour germination period. The results showed that germination responses were relatively uniform. Dark conditions resulted in the highest germination percentage and seed vigor index, whereas LED light tended to enhance early growth of the radicle and plumule. The relationships among parameters indicated consistent associations between time and germination rate, as well as between germination percentage and seed vigor index. Overall, the findings of this study indicate that LED lighting during the early germination phase was not a primary factor in improving the germination performance of watermelon seeds.

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