Microorganism growth during muskmelon seed priming

A cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L.) Seed sample with 20% of infested seeds was t reated with fungicide Captan 50 WP (3 g/kg seeds) and primed for six days i n darkness at 25 degrees C in a KNO3 + KH2PO4 (1.5 + 1.5%) aerated solution . Half of the seed sample was primed without fungicide treatment. In nonpri med seeds, fungicide treatment eliminated microorganism incidence. During p riming, captan did not give good control of microorganisms. Seed priming in creased the microorganism incidence to 60% on fungicide-treated seeds and 9 4% on nontreated seeds. The conditions established by seed priming contribu ted to seed fungal proliferation, and a high incidence of fungi may have co ntributed to the decrease of seed germination.