Effect of salicylic acid on the germination and seedling growth of two coffee varieties (Coffea arabica L., var. Tipica and Geisha)

Abstract One of the main obstacles to starting successful coffee plantations is the asynchronous and slow germination of Coffea arabica L seeds. Seed priming increases the percentage of germination. Several studies have investigated the effect of seed priming with different chemical compounds, including salicylic acid, on improving seed germination in various plant species. The current study was designed to assess the effects of salicylic acid (SA) on 200 seeds of the Típica and 200 seeds of the Geisha of C. arabica varieties, as SA has been shown to have positive effects on germination and growth. For this purpose, a completely randomized design was used to examine three SA doses (0.00625, 0.0125, and 0.0250 mM) and three imbibition times (two, four, and six hours). A control treatment (distilled water for the six hours of imbibition) was also used. Up until week eleven, plant growth and germination capacity were assessed. Among the germination variables, the treatment with 0.00625 mM SA outperformed the control, followed by the 0.0125 mM SA dose. The Típica variety responded best to an imbibition time of four to six hours, followed by two hours. The Geisha variety did not significantly affect the various imbibition times. The 0.00625 mM SA treatment consistently yielded the best results in plant development-related variables, outperforming the control in both varieties.