Enhancing Seed Quality of Swiss Chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla) Through Priming Techniques in Urban Area

¹ Department of Agricultural Cultivation, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Sriwijaya
² Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Sriwijaya
³ Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture Universitas Baturaja

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Swiss chard is an introduced leafy vegetable that is highly suitable for cultivation in urban areas. One of the main challenges is seed deterioration, which leads to a decline in seed quality. Seed priming is one approach that can be applied to improve seed quality. This study aimed to enhance the quality of Swiss chard seeds that had experienced quality deterioration. The research was conducted at the Seed Technology Laboratory and the Greenhouse of the Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Sriwijaya, from September to November 2025. The experiment was carried out in two stages. The first stage used a completely randomized design (CRD) consisting of four treatments: control (P0), soaking in warm water (P1), shallot extract (P2), and coconut extract (P3). Each treatment unit consisted of 20 seeds and was replicated five times. The second stage involved the analysis of plant growth and yield. The results showed that seed priming with shallot extract significantly improved seed quality, as indicated by higher Vigor index values and germination percentages. Priming with shallot extract produced the highest Vigor index value of 641.66 and a germination percentage of 97%. However, the effects of seed priming did not persist into the growth and yield phases.