Karnataka J. Agric. Sci.

,24 (2) : (237-238) 2011

Effect of seed priming on seed quality of maize (Zea mays L.)*

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important cereals of the world. It has worldwide significance as human food, animal feed and as a raw material for large number of industrial products. It is a versatile, miracle crop and thus termed as Queen of Cereals. Seed is a living entity and is subjected to various environmental stresses which affect the quality. Despite the high yielding potential and various advantages of maize, the yield per unit area of the crop is low in India. Delay in germination and low seed viability are the serious problems limiting the production of maize. Highly vigorous seeds germinate rapidly, uniformly and are able to withstand environmental adversity after sowing. However, the use of maize seeds of low physiological quality is a common practice under tropical and subtropical production conditions, leading to inadequate plant population in the field. It is reported that seed priming is one of the most important developments to help rapid and uniform germination and emergence of seeds and to increase seed tolerance to adverse environmental conditions (Heydecker et al., 1975; Harris et al., 1999). Seed priming has presented promising, and even surprising results, for many seeds including the cereal seeds (Bradford, 1986a). The few studies on maize are not overemphasized and are encouraging, but more information is required before its use as a routine practice in seed technology. Harris et al., (2001a) reported that maize genotypes responded positively to priming, where priming was effective and represented increases ranging from 17 to 76 per cent. Primed and dried seeds normally have a more rapid and uniform germination when subsequently re-hydrated, especially under adverse environmental conditions (Bradford, 1986b). To study the effect of seed priming an experiment was carried out at the Seed Quality and Research Laboratory, National Seed Project (Crops), University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad during 2008-09. The seeds were primed with T1 Control (unprimed seeds), T2 Hydro-priming, T3-T2+Thiram (0.25%), T4-KNO3 (0.2%), T5-CaCl2.2H2O (2%), T6-KCI (100 ppm) and T7KH2PO4 (1.0%). The seeds were put between germination papers wetted with the priming agents for 14 h. Germination test was conducted in four replications of 100 seeds each by adopting between paper towel method as described by ISTA procedures (Anonymous, 1999). Daily germination count were taken until no further germination occurred for seven consecutive days, then final and speed of germination were calculated. Ten normal seedlings were selected randomly in each treatment from all the replications on seventh day from germination test to record the root length, shoot length and dry weight of seedlings. The seeding vigour index was computed by adopting the method suggested by Abdul Baki and Anderson (1973). The electrical conductivity of the leachate was measured dSm-1 (Presley, 1958). The data were statistically analyzed using analysis of variance appropriate completely randomized design. Main and interaction effects were compared using LSD test at 0.05 level of probability, when the F-values were significant (Steel and Torrie, 1984). Germination per cent was significantly influenced by the seed priming treatments. Significantly maximum germination per cent was recorded in seeds primed with KNO3 @ 0.2% (98.67%). While, unprimed seeds (control) (95.30 %) seeds showed significantly less germination per cent. Increase in 3.41% germination of KNO3 primed seeds recorded over control. This increase in germination may be due to the activity of -amylase due to osmopriming. Amylases are key enzymes that play a vital role in hydrolyzing the seed starch reserve, thereby supplying sugars to the developing embryo. These results are in conformity with findings by Gayathri, (2001) and Ashraf and Foolad (2005) in wheat and barley. Speed of germination was significantly influenced by the seed priming treatments. Significantly maximum speed of germination was recorded in seeds primed with KNO3 @ 0.2% (53.33). While, unprimed seeds (control) (31.33) seeds showed significantly less speed of germination. The superiority in speed of germination of KNO3 priming was related to more nitrogen and potassium accumulation in seeds treated with KNO3. Root and shoot length was significantly influenced by the seed priming treatments. Significantly maximum root length was recorded in seeds primed with KNO3 @ 0.2% (23.00) and it was on par with hydroprimed + thiram (0.25%) (22.33 cm). While, unprimed seeds (control) (T1) (21.00 cm) showed significantly less root length. Significantly maximum shoot length was recorded in seeds primed with KNO3 @ 0.2% (19.50). While, unprimed seeds (control) (18.28 cm) showed significantly less shoot length. Priming decreased the resistance of the endosperm envelope to expansive growth allowing the turgor threshold for germination to be reached faster than in non-primed seeds thereby greater root and shoot length. Similar results recorded by Oluoch and Welbaum (1996) in muskmelon seeds. Seedling dry weight was significantly influenced by the seed priming treatments. Significantly maximum seedling dry weight was recorded in seeds primed with KNO3 @ 0.2% (2.60 g). While, unprimed seeds (control) (2.17 g) seeds showed significantly less seedling dry weight. These might be due to more efficiency in utilization of available starch due to osmopriming. These results are in conformity with findings of Ghassemi and Esmacilpour (2008) in cucumber. Seedling vigour index was significantly influenced by the seed priming treatments. Significantly maximum seedling vigour index was recorded in seeds primed with KNO3 @ 0.2%) (4193). While, unprimed seeds (control) (3743) recorded significantly less seedling vigour index. This is due to significant increase in germination and seedling length recorded in KNO3 (0.2%) seeds. Electrical conductivity was significantly influenced by the seed priming treatments. Significantly minimum electrical conductivity was recorded in seeds primed with KNO3 @ 0.2% (0.69 dSm-1). While, unprimed seeds (control) (0.75 dSm -1) recorded

* Part of M. Sc. (Agri.) thesis submitted by the first author to the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad - 580 005, India
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Karnataka J. Agric. Sci.,24 (2) : 2011

Table 1. Influence of seed priming on seed quality parameters of maize Treatment Germination Speed of Root length (%) germination (cm) T1 Control (unprimed 95.30 (77.52)* seeds) T2 Hydro-priming 97.33 (80.68) T3-T2+Thiram (0.25%) 98.10 (82.12) T4-KNO3 (0.2%) 98.67 (83.51) T5-CaCl2.2H2O (2%) 98.03 (81.98) T6-KCI (100 ppm) 96.67 (79.55) T7-KH2PO4 (1.0%) 97.67 (81.30) Mean 97.40 (80.95) SEm 0.50 CD at 5% 1.53 * Figures in parenthesis indicate arcsine values 31.33 33.52 34.33 35.33 34.00 32.33 34.33 33.60 0.24 0.75 21.00 21.77 22.33 23.00 22.07 21.07 21.67 21.84 0.30 0.95

Shoot length (cm) 18.28 18.78 19.00 19.50 18.60 18.27 18.73 18.74 0.15 0.48

Seedling dry weight (g) 2.17 2.40 2.53 2.60 2.47 2.29 2.39 2.41 0.06 0.21

Seedling Electrical vigour index conductivity (dSm-1) 3743 0.75 3947 4055 4193 3987 3802 3945 3953 28.94 89.19 0.71 0.70 0.69 0.70 0.72 0.71 0.71 0.006 0.019

significantly more electrical conductivity. It might be due to removal of deleterious hormones, seed leachates at the time of seed invigouration.

Hence, it can be concluded that the maize seeds may be treated with KNO3 (0.2%) and hydroprimed seeds+ thiram (0.25%) for better seed quality and stand establishment in the field.

Department of Seed Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad -580 05, India Email: ravihunje@gmail.com (Received: August, 2009)
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ANIL S. HANEGAVE RAVI HUNJE H. L. NADAF N. K. BIRADARPATIL D. S. UPPAR

(Cucumis sativus) seeds. Not. Bot. Hort. Agrobot. Cluj., 36(2): 67-70. Harris, D., Joshi A., Khan P.A., Gothkar P. and Sodhi P.S., 1999, Onfarm seed priming in semi-arid agriculture: development and evaluation in maize, rice and chickpea in India using participatory methods. Exp. Agric., 35: 15-29. Harris, D., Pathan, A. K., Gothkar, P., Joshi, A., Chivasa, W. and Nyamudeza, P., 2001a, On farm seed priming: Using participatory methods to revive and refine a key technology. Agric. Syc., 69: 151-164. Heydecker, W., Higgins, J., and Turner, Y. J., 1975, Invigoration of seeds. Seed Sci. Technol., 3: 881-888. Oluoch, M. O. and Welbaum, G. E., 1996, Viability and vigor of osmotically primed muskmelon seeds after nine years of storage. J. American Soc. Hort. Sci., 121: 408-413. Presley, J. T., 1958. Relations of protoplast permeability of cotton seed viability and pre-deposition of disease. Plant Dis. Rep., 42: 582. Steel, R. G. D., and Torrie, J. H., 1984, Principles and procedures of statistics, 2nd ed. p. 172-177. McGraw Hill Book Co., Singapore.

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