Optimization of hydropriming and biopriming treatments for enhancing seed quality in lentil (Lens culinaris)

C H  SUSHMITHA; VENKADASAMY  GOVINDASAMY; M B ARUN  KUMAR; MURALEEDHAR S  ASKI; SHERRY RACHEL  JACOB; GYAN PRAKASH  MISHRA; PASHWAN  RAMVILAS; T  KAVYA; KUMAR KANT  SINGH

doi:10.56093/ijas.v96i4.172612

Authors

C H SUSHMITHA ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
VENKADASAMY GOVINDASAMY ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
M B ARUN KUMAR ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
MURALEEDHAR S ASKI ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
SHERRY RACHEL JACOB ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi 110 012, India
GYAN PRAKASH MISHRA ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
PASHWAN RAMVILAS ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
T KAVYA ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
KUMAR KANT SINGH ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India

https://doi.org/10.56093/ijas.v96i4.172612

Keywords:

Biopriming, Germination, Hydropriming, Seed quality, Seedling vigour

Abstract

The present study was carried out during 2023–24 at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi aimed to standardize hydropriming and biopriming protocols to improve seed quality and seedling vigour in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.). Hydropriming was evaluated using two seed-to-water ratios (1:1 and 1:2, w/v) across six soaking durations (4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 h), while biopriming was optimized using four bacterial inoculum concentrations (0.1, 1, 10, and 100%) for 4, 8, 12 and 16 h. Seed quality parameters were assessed following standard germination test. Results indicated that hydropriming at 16 h with a 1:2 ratio significantly (p≤0.05) improved germination (93.0%), shoot and root length (8.58 and 16.9 cm), seedling fresh and dry weight (1.32 and 0.128 g/10 seedlings), and vigour indices (SVI-I: 2373; SVI-II: 11.92). Similarly, biopriming at 1% inoculum for 12 h recorded the highest performance, with germination (94.7%), shoot and root length (9.19 and 17.3 cm), fresh and dry weight (1.32 and 0.136 g/10 seedlings), and vigour indices (SVI-I: 2507; SVI-II: 12.90). This study demonstrates that hydropriming for 16 h (1:2 ratio) and biopriming for 12 h (1% inoculum) are optimal conditions for enhancing the physiological quality and initial seedling vigour of lentil under laboratory conditions, thereby providing a basis for future field validation.

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