THE EFFECT OF NEW BIOSTIMULANTS AND INSECTICIDES ON SEED GERMINATION ENERGY AND VIABILITY UNDER FIELD AND LABORATORY CONDITIONS
Keywords:
cotton, biostimulant, insecticide, germination energy, seed viability, field conditions, laboratory conditions, seed quality.Abstract
This study investigates the influence of new biostimulants and insecticides on the germination energy and seed viability of cotton under field and laboratory conditions. Seed samples were prepared and evaluated according to national standards, and nine experimental variants with different biostimulant combinations were tested. Results showed that all treatments improved germination energy and viability compared with the control. Field germination energy ranged from 72 % to 82 %, and seed viability from 75 % to 83 %, while laboratory values reached 89 %–96 % and 92 %–96 %, respectively. The best performance was observed in variants 5, 8, and 9, demonstrating the effectiveness of biostimulants in ensuring rapid, uniform seedling emergence and enhancing cotton seed quality. These findings confirm that the application of biostimulants is a practical approach to achieving stable seedling establishment, higher yield potential, and high-quality seed production.