Effects of seed priming on germination and emergence traits of two soybean cultivars under salinity stress

ABSTRACT: To evaluate effects of seed priming with potassium nitrate on germination and emergence traits of two soybean cultivars in salinity stress, two laboratorial and greenhouse experiments were carried out as a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with 4 replications in the Seed Physiology Research Department of Agricultural Faculty of Bu-Ali Sina university, Iran. Treatments were included of two soybean cultivars (Sahar and Gorgan-3), two levels of non-priming and priming with potassium nitrate at 6 g l?¹ concentration and three levels of salinity (0, 4 and 8 ds m -1 induced by sodium chloride). The results showed that Sahar cv. was superior to Gorgan-3 cv. in all traits and in both experiments. Seed priming with Kno3 caused a significant increase in germination and emergence percentage, radicle and plumule length, seedling dry weight, plant height, plant leaf area and plant dry weight. Also at the salinity stress, mean germination and emergence time of primed seeds were less than non-primed seeds, significantly. At the salinity stress, specific highest salinity level, final germination percentage, radicle and plumule length, plant height, plant leaf area and plant dry weight of primed seeds were more than non-primed seeds, significantly. Positive effects of priming with potassium nitrate on seeds of Gorgan-3 cv. were greater than those of Sahar cv.