Abstract
Technologies that can increase crop production while maintaining low pollution are essential for sustainable agriculture. This study compares the germination performance of Durum wheat seeds (Triticum durum Desf.) which were coated with synthetic coatings [polyacrylamide (PA)] and novel natural coatings [mixtures of agar/ι-carrageenan (AC)] at different moisture levels. A number of germination performance indicators were measured for each of the categories of coatings. These included: (i) % germination, (ii) radicle emergence, (iii) speed of germination, (iv) seedling length, (v) fresh seed weight and (vi) seed vigour index. Results showed that both the synthetic and natural coatings improved germination performance in the Durum wheat seeds versus the untreated seeds when non-drought (80% moisture) conditions were used. However, when 40% moisture levels were used, the natural coated seeds showed a 6% improvement in germination performance over the synthetic PA coated seeds. This improved germination performance under drought stress along with the fact that these novel AC coatings used are completely natural and environmentally friendly suggests that these novel coatings have a big future in seed coatings, especially in countries which experience drought conditions and are dependent on natural irrigation.
Highlights
There is a demand to use environmentally friendly seed coatings made from natural polymers due to contamination of soils and the surrounding environment with toxic and persistent materials (Zeng and Wang, 2010; Zeng and Zhang, 2010)
There was no significant difference in G and Seedling Length (SL) between the different levels of PA coatings and the control seeds (p>0.05) at 80% moisture level
In the Radicle Emergence (RE) measurement, the germination rate of the control seeds were significantly lower than all the other coated seeds and for the Germination Speed Index (GSI), the coated seeds PA2, PA4 and PA16 were significantly higher when compared to the control seeds
Summary
There is a demand to use environmentally friendly seed coatings made from natural polymers due to contamination of soils and the surrounding environment with toxic and persistent materials (Zeng and Wang, 2010; Zeng and Zhang, 2010). With climate change and the unpredictability of rainfall, the development of green technologies that can provide both environmental protection and drought resistance in crops has become a matter of great importance (Guan et al, 2014; Kneipp, 2008). This project uses water-absorbent polymers as seed coating materials in order to support sustainable agriculture and provide solutions to the food crisis. Reduced seed germination due to these drought conditions has contributed significantly lower wheat yields. The mechanism of action of these polymer coatings to aid the seed germination process depends on their chemical composition and how they are applied on the seeds (Ekebafe et al, 2011; Landis and Haase, 2012; Puoci et al, 2008; Rudzinski et al, 2002; Yang et al, 2014; Zohuriaan-Mehr and Kabiri, 2008)
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