Seed priming improves growth of nursery seedlings and yield of transplanted rice

Muhammad Farooq*, Shahzad M.A. Basra, Muhammad B. Khan

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

49 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

An attempt to improve the performance of rice (Oryza sativa L.) nursery seedlings through seed priming and its effect on the yield after transplantation was made in a field trial. Priming tools employed during the investigation include pre-germination, hydropriming for 48 h, osmohardening with KCl and CaCl2 (ψs-1.25 MPa) for 24 h, vitamin priming with 10 ppm ascorbic acid for 48 h and seed hardening for 24 h. All the priming techniques resulted in improved germination speed and spread, seedling fresh and dry weight, root and shoot length, number of secondary roots, seedling nitrogen, total sugars and α-amylase activity. Osmohardening with CaCl2 resulted in the best performance as indicated by improved germination speed and spread, seedling vigour and starch metabolism, followed by hardening and osmohardening with KCl. However, improved starch metabolism in coarse rice was observed in osmohardening with KCl. Higher K and Ca contents were observed in seeds osmohardened with KCl and CaCl2, respectively. Maximum straw and kernel yield and harvest index were recorded from osmohardening with CaCl2 in fine and osmohardening with KCl in coarse rice. Increased number of secondary roots and α-amylase activity were accompanied with increased seedling nitrogen and reducing sugars, respectively.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)315-326
Number of pages12
JournalArchives of Agronomy and Soil Science
Volume53
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2007
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Hardening
  • Oryza sativa
  • Osmohardening
  • Rice
  • Secondary roots
  • Seedling vigour
  • Sugars
  • α-amylase

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Agronomy and Crop Science
  • Soil Science

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