Effect of Seed Priming on the Enhancement of Seedling Traits in two Species of Anthemis L. Preserved in Medium and Long-term Storage and Accelerated Aged Seeds

The genus Anthemis L. (Asteraceae) as medicinal plants are used both for pharmaceutical purposes and in folk medicine. In order to study of seed priming effects on seedling growth of two species of Anthemis spp., an factorial experiment based on randomized complete design with three replications was conducted under greenhouse conditions in Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands in 2014-2015.A factorial experiment consisting three factors: 1) two species including Anthemis tinctoria L. and Anthemis triumfettii (L.) DC. which formed the three levels of factor A, and 2) five conservation methods including: medium-term storage (active cold room 4 C for 10 years), long- term storage (basic cold room-18 C for 10 years), regenerated seeds in open air 22 C for 2 years (Control) and aged seed under accelerated ageing (40 C,98% of Relative humidity) for 48 and 72h made up the five levels of factor B, and 3) five priming treatments were including: Control (without priming), osmopriming (PEG -0.3Mpa), hormonal priming (Giberlic acid 250 and 500 mg/L), hydropriming (imbibitions with distilled water) were levels of factor C. Data collected for seed emergence percent, root and shoot length, seedling length, vigor index, seedling weight and three proxidase, catalaz and super oxid desmotaz (SOD) enzymatic activities. Result of analysis of variance showed that effects of species, conservation and priming and their interaction were significant for many of seedling traits and enzymatic activities. According to the results, the higher values of seedling emergence, vigor index, seedling length were obtained in A. tinctoria. In contrast, peroxidase and SOD enzymatic activity were the higher in A. triumfettii. All species had higher seedling growth by using osmopriming. Both osmo and hormonal priming method were effective in recovery of deteriorated seeds. The mean of all traits of three species were higher in base cold room (-18 C) than active cold room (4 C) and this a sign effect of low temperature on seed viability. The root length were higher in accelerated ageing test (48h and 72). It was due to positive effect of priming on improvement of deteriorated seed by increasing root length. The more seed emergence characteristics were obtained with effect of osmopriming (PEG 0.3Mpa), and, hormonal priming (Gibberellic acid 250 mg/L). Regarding to result of this research work, It was proved that two priming technique osmopriming using (Poly ethylene glycol) and hormonal priming (Gibberellic acid ) were effective method for improvement of aged seed of Anthemis spp.