Table 2.
Time and percentage of germination of seeds, time of fruiting and biomass of plants after seed treatment with rhamnolipid (RL-SS14) in comparison with negative (untreated seeds in pathogen laden soil) and positive (untreated seeds in pathogen free soil) control.
| Sample | Germination of seeds∗ |
Time of fruiting (dps)∗ | Dry weight (in g)∗ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time (dps) | Percentage (%) | |||
| Control (+) (dH2O) | 4.25 ± 0.5 a | 100 ± 0.0 a | 97.75 ± 2.5 b | 87.5 ± 10.66 b |
| Control (-) | 9.0 ± 0.0 d | 25 ± 0.0 c | NF | 29.3 ± 0.0 d |
| 10 mg l-1 | 8.0 ± 0.0 c | 25 ± 0.0 c | NF | 31.1 ± 0.0 d |
| 25 mg l-1 | 7.0 ± 1.41 b | 50 ± 0.0 b | NF | 57.5 ± 7.78 c |
| 50 mg l-1 | 4.5 ± 1.0 a | 100 ± 0.0 a | 87.0 ± 1.83 a | 100.25 ± 13.15 a |
| 100 mg l-1 | 4.5 ± 0.58 a | 100 ± 0.0 a | 87.25 ± 2.5 a | 103.75 ± 6.75 a |
| 200 mg l-1 | 4.25 ± 0.5 a | 100 ± 0.0 a | 97.25 ± 2.5 b | 81.25 ± 7.89 b |
∗Data are means of four replicates ± SD; NF, no fruiting; dps, days post sowing; different letters within each column indicate significant difference between values according to LSD at α = 0.05; ANOVA was performed for time of germination (F6,21 = 45.900, P = 0.000), percentage of germination (F6,21 = 4.500, P = 0.004), time of fruiting (F3,12 = 26.034, P = 0.000), and dry weight (F6,21 = 65.795, P = 0.000).