Investigating the effects of variable moisture levels and maize genotype on seed germination and seedling traits · Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Author

Mahachi, Tariroyashe

Title

Investigating the effects of variable moisture levels and maize genotype on seed germination and seedling traits

Abstract

This research project investigated the effects of variable moisture levels and maize genotype on the germination of maize seeds and various seedling traits. Maize, a staple crop in Zimbabwe, with significant economic and agricultural importance, is known to be sensitive to moisture levels during its early growth stages. The study aimed to contribute to the understanding of how moisture levels affect maize seed germination and subsequent seedling development. It also aimed at evaluating the effects of maize genotype on germination of maize seed and various seedling traits. The research methodology involved subjecting maize seeds from two different varieties to controlled soil moisture levels and monitoring their germination rates, as well as assessing the resulting seedling traits such as chlorophyll content, leaf area, stem girth, number of leaves, and the dry matter accumulation. This was achieved through a carefully designed experiment and statistical analysis (Analysis of Variance) to determine the impact of varying moisture levels and maize genotype on maize seed germination and seedling characteristics. From the results obtained, it was found that that there was a significant (P<0.05) difference observed in dry matter accumulation in the roots recorded across all moisture levels (30%, 50%, and 70% moisture). However, there was no significant (P>0.05) difference in germination and seedling traits across varying moisture levels (30%, 50%, and 70%) and maize genotypes (SC419 and SC547). This demonstrates the flexibility of the two maize varieties and their capability to be grown in areas with various average annual rainfall. A positive relationship was also observed between moisture levels and maize seed germination percentage and rate. This means that as the amount of moisture increases, the percentage of maize seeds that germinated, as well as the speed at which they germinated, also increased.

Date

June 2024

Publisher

BUSE

Keywords

Seed germination

Maize genotype

Supervisor

Prof. R. Mandumbu