The Effects of Hydropriming and Osmopriming on Germination Characteristics of Nigella sativa under Salt Stress

Abstract

In order to study, the effects of hydropriming and osmopriming on germination characteristics of Nigella sativa L. under salt stress an experiment was conducted in factorial laid out in completely randomized design with four replications at Research Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University-Mashhad Iran, in 2014. Factors were included of priming treatment in six levels [control (Non-priming), hydropriming with distilled water, osmopriming with KNO3, KCl, CaCl2 and NaCl] and salinity treatment in four levels [0, 50, 100 and 150 Mmol]. Analysis of variance showed that the effects of salinity and seed priming on all measured indices and interaction between two factors on germination percentage and rate, radicle and plumule length and seed vigor were significant at the probability level of 1%. The results showed that with increasing salt concentration all measured traits were decreased. This decreasing started from the 50 Mmol concentration. Under salt stress condition, osmopriming with KNO3 and then hydropriming and osmopriming with KCl improved all germination indices compared with control.

Keywords

• Priming
• Germination
• Salinity
• KNO3