Effect of Seed Priming on Germination and Vigour in Low and High Longevity Rice Genotypes.

Abstract

Seed priming is a simple, low-cost, low-risk intervention and powerful technique to improve seedling emergence & vigour and yield of several crops. Three rice genotypes each in low (AC 35024, AC 39021, Gangavati Sona) and high (Jaya, PS 267 and AC 39004) longevity were primed with water (hydropriming), 4 % Pseudomonas fluorescens, 20 % Azospirillum sp, 50 mM NaCl, 20 % PEG 8000, 75 % Coconut water, 2 % Pulse sprout extract and 0.5 % Nutrigold for 12 hours. In general, high longevity rice seeds responded well to the priming treatments compared to low longevity seeds. The seeds of PS 267 primed with 4 % P. fluorescens recorded highest germination (99 %), root length (20.5 cm), shoot length (8.5 cm), dry matter production (10.5 mg/seedling), vigour index I (2868) and II (1037) compared to all other genotypes. Among the priming treatments, seeds primed with 4 % P. fluorescens for 12 h recorded higher seed germination and vigour followed by 2 % pulse sprout extract, irrespective of seed longevity nature and genotypes.