Performance of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) seed primed with growth-regulators and inorganic salts

Abstract

An experiment was conducted during 1991-92 and 1992-93 to study the effect of priming the seed of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend. Fiori & Paol.) with growth-regulators and inorganic salts on its performance. Seeds of ‘HD 2380’ and 'VL 616' were primed for different durations of 1-24 hr at 20°C in dark, with growth hormones [indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), gibberellic acid (GA₃) and abscisic acid] and inorganic salts (potassium, calcium and triadimefon). In general seed priming with most of the treatments significantly improved the seed performance in laboratory in terms of germination (%), germination time and seedling growth (length and dry matter). Varietal response was specific to each priming treatment. In 'HD 2380' maximum germination was observed with GA₃ (20 ppm), KNO₃ (50 ppm) and CaS0₄ (75 ppm), whereas in 'VL 16', auxins (IAA and IBA) and potassium salts (KH₂P0₄ and KN0₃) were most effective for germination and mean germination time. The seedling growth was highest with KNO₃ (100 ppm) in 'HD 2380', whereas CaCl₂ (50 and 100 ppm), indole-3.butyric acid (20 ppm) and triadimefon (20 ppm) were more effective in 'VL 616'.