EFFECT OF UV-B AND MICROWAVE RADIATION ON SEED GERMINATION AND PLANT GROWTH IN CORN AND OKRA

Abstract

The effects of radiations (Microwave and Ultraviolet) on seed germination (in vitro and in vivo) and plant growth in Corn (Zea mays L.) and Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) were studied. The experiment was divided in two sets. In set one, corn and okra seeds were exposed to Microwave radiation (2450 MHz) for0 (control), 1, 2, 3, and 5 seconds while in other set of experiment, seeds were exposed to Ultraviolet radiation (253.7nm) for 0 (control), 5, 10, 30 and 60 minutes. Treated seeds were sown in plastic pots containing 300g soil fertilizer mixture (3:1). After 48days of seeds sowing plants were harvested and their shoot, root length, fresh and dry weighs were recorded. It was observed that though okra plants were more resistant to radiations than corn plants but there were no significant difference among different treatments.