Enhancing Germination and Seedling Vigor in Papaya (Carica papaya L.) Through Herbal Extract-Based Seed Priming

The present study was conducted at Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, to evaluate the efficacy of herbal seed priming in enhancing germination, seedling vigor, biochemical attributes, and early growth performance of papaya seedlings. The experiment consisted of six treatments incorporating various combinations of aloe vera gel, coconut water, moringa leaf extract, neem leaf extract, turmeric extract, and garlic extract, with distilled water as the control. Papaya seeds were soaked in the respective herbal solutions for 12 hours at a 10% concentration, followed by germination under controlled conditions. Significant variations were observed across treatments, with (neem leaf extract + turmeric extract + aloe vera gel exhibited the highest germination percentage, seedling vigor, and chlorophyll content. Similarly, aloe vera gel + coconut water + moringa leaf extract showed notable improvements in root and shoot length, as well as seedling biomass accumulation. The increased germination speed and seedling vigor index in treated seeds suggest that herbal bioactive compounds play a crucial role in stimulating early seedling growth and metabolic activity. The findings indicate that herbal seed priming can serve as an eco-friendly and sustainable alternative to synthetic growth stimulants, improving seed performance while reducing reliance on chemical inputs.