Abstract
A field experiment was conducted during two spring seasons in 2019 and 2020 to achieve rapid, uniform, and high ratio of field emergence of maize seeds (cv. Baghdad3). Randomize complete block design was used with three replications. Seeds were soaked in acids of ascorbic and citric (100 mg l-1) and humic (1 ml l-1) for 18 hours, as well as control treatment (seeds soaking in distilled water only). The results showed the significant superiority of soaking treatment in humic acid, which gave averages of field emergence properties in both seasons as follows: last day of field emergence (12.6 and 12.9 days), difference between first and last day of field emergence (4.8 and 4.9 days), ratio of field emergence at first count (49.5 and 55.5%), ratio of field emergence at final count (93.2 and 93.2%), daily average of field emergence (7.8 and 7.8 days), average of field emergence time (9.0 and 8.8 days) and index of field emergence average (10.5 and 10.7 days). It can be concluded that seeds soaking in humic acid improved properties of emergence and seedlings; therefore it can be recommended to soak maize seeds in humic acid (1 ml l-1) for 18 hours when planting in the spring season.
Highlights
The aim of using seeds stimulation is to achieve an increase in the percentage of emergence, reduce the average germination time and improve seedling growth under a wide range of environmental conditions (2, 6 and 20)
Humic acid is an effective source of carbon necessary for the activity of micro-organisms, and seeds soaking with acid or spraying it on plants or adding it to the soil increases the growth of the root system, and it has a hormonal effect on the cell protoplasm and the cell wall, which leads to the speed of cell division and growth [1]
The superiority of the emergence ratio at final count is explained by its superiority in emergence ratio at first count (Table 4), which reflects the inherent ability of seeds in these treatments to give a high percentage of active seedlings, and the reason is that humic acid activates H+ + ATPase in the plasma membrane, which explains the increase in absorption rates and the raising of nutrients to get rid of solutes, increase water capacity, increase capacity of cation exchange, and increase ratio of field emergance [4]
Summary
The aim of using seeds stimulation is to achieve an increase in the percentage of emergence, reduce the average germination time and improve seedling growth under a wide range of environmental conditions (2, 6 and 20). Humic acid is an effective source of carbon necessary for the activity of micro-organisms, and seeds soaking with acid or spraying it on plants or adding it to the soil increases the growth of the root system, and it has a hormonal effect on the cell protoplasm and the cell wall, which leads to the speed of cell division and growth [1]. Scientific studies focus on the possibility of improving seed and seedling vigour to germinate and grow under biotic and abiotic stresses by soaking the seeds in various nutrient solutions [9]. Low soil temperature as well as low water stress in planting of maize in the spring season are obstacles that cause low germination in the spring time [14]. The plants were irrigated as needed [15]
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