Investigating the impact of different halopriming treatments on biochemical and physiological changes in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) under different salinity levels

Abstract

A research experiment was carried out at, Department of Seed Science and Technology, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, during 2023-24 on barley to study the effect of various priming treatments on seed quality of barley under different salinity levels. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design with three replications having seven priming treatments viz., T₀: Control, T₁: Hydropriming with water, T₂: Halopriming with saline water (4 dS/m), T₃: Halopriming with saline water (8 dS/m), T₄: Halopriming with saline water (12 dS/m), T₅: Halopriming with saline water (16 dS/m), T6: Halopriming with saline water (20 dS/m) with six salinity treatments viz., ST₀: Control (Non-saline), ST₁: 4 dSm^-1, ST₂: 8 dSm^-1, ST₃: 12 dSm^-1, ST₄: 16 dSm^-1, ST₅: 20 dSm^-1. The results revealed that seed priming with saline water produce a negative effect on seed quality as it showed a reduction in all the seed quality parameters with increase in salinity of the priming solution as compared to simple water. Seed priming with water of upto 8 dSm^-1 salinity improved the seed performance as compared to control (dry seed) and from above 8 dSm^-1, the performance of seed decreased and at the level of 20 dSm^-1, it drastically reduced. Simple water priming (hydropriming) was found best with highest germination percentage, seedling length, vigour indices, emergence index and seedling establishment parameters which was found to be statistically at par with that of saline priming with a salinity level of 4 dSm^-1