Abstract:

The subject of this paper is improvement in the growth and yield of three different types of legumes and rape in drought conditions by coating seeds with hydrolysed collagen from tanning waste. In addition, the impact of various additives in the seed shell on the growth of the plant was investigated. The encapsulation process of seeds was conducted on a disc granulator. A centrally placed seed was first coated with a layer of fungicides. The next layer was collagen hydrolysate, collagen hydrolysate with latex or a solution of yellow dextrin and polyvinyl alcohol. The outer layer was a mineral additive e.g. dolomite or kaolin. After the end of the encapsulation process on the disk granulator, all of the seeds tested were sown into soils. Seeds without coating were also sown as control seeds. Seedlings were maintained for 29 days with cultivation without irrigation. The length of the seedlings was analysed for all of the seeds sown. Higher seedling growth values were obtained for seeds coated with collagen hydrolysate in comparison with control seeds (without coating). The use of collagen hydrolysate gave slightly better results than in the case of a solution of dextrin with polyvinyl alcohol.