Shoot clipping and gibberellic acid spray enhances seed quality of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.)

Coriandrum sativum L., also referred to as dhania, is an annual herbaceous plant widely cultivated for its aromatic seeds and tender green leaves. Despite its therapeutic value and widespread cultivation, poor seed quality limits its productivity and commercial potential. A field experiment on coriander cv. Ajmer Coriander-1 was conducted during rabi season (2021–2022) in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in 3 replications to evaluate the combined effects of 2 shoot clipping regimes (no clipping and clipping) at 45 days after sowing (DAS) and 5 foliar sprays of gibberellic acid (GA3) at 55 DAS (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 ppm) on seed quality parameters. Laboratory evaluation of harvested seeds revealed that the combined treatment of shoot clipping with GA3 at 75 ppm (C2G3) significantly enhanced germination (91.00 %), rate of germination (20.07), seedling length (26.37 cm) seedling dry weight (2.53 mg) seed vigour indices (length- 2399.56 and mass- 230.52) while reducing membrane damage as showed by lower electrical conductivity compared to other treatments. These findings suggest that the conjoint application of shoot clipping and GA3 at 75 ppm effectively enhance coriander seed quality and may serve as practical strategy for improving seed performance and overall seed productivity.