Ameliorative Effect of Seed Priming on Germination, Vigour Index and Tolerance Index against Short Term Moisture Stress in Maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of seed priming with magnesium nitrate salt against the moisture stress condition induced by Polyethylene glycol-6000 on seed germination, vigour index and tolerance index in root and shoot. Polyethylene glycol-6000 was used to create short term moisture stress under laboratory conditions while the seed priming was carried out by using magnesium nitrate. The percent germination, seed vigour index and tolerance index were started to decline from T1 to T4 (i.e. set first 1.5 and 4.5 % of PEG-6000 solution + none primed seed) while the results of second set (i.e. PEG-6000 + primed seed from T5 to T8) were also following the same decreasing trend along with improvement in every parameters. The germination was recorded highest 100 percent in T5 (i.e. 1.5% PEG-6000+ primed seed) followed by T6, T1 and T7 (T6 and T7 is 2.5% and 3.5 % PEG-6000+ primed seed) while the control set recorded 98.7% at final date of observations i.e. 240 Hrs. vigour index and tolerance index was also decreasing in both the set of treatments but PEG-600 + primed seed showed better results as compared to the treatments PEG-6000 + none primed. Tolerance index percent was recorded maximum in root as compare to shoot at 120 hrs. of intervals while the reverse result was recorded at 240 hrs. of intervals.