Effect of Seed Priming with Potassium Nitrate on the Performance of Tomato

Muhammad Moaaz Ali,Ahmed Fathy Yousef,Irfan Afzal,Rosario Paolo Mauro,Rubab Shabbir,Talha Javed

doi:10.3390/agriculture10110498

Abstract

The seed industry and farmers have challenges, which include the production of poor quality and non-certified tomato seed, which ultimately results in decreased crop production. The issue carefully demands pre-sowing treatments using exogenous chemical plant growth-promoting substances. Therefore, to mitigate the above-stated problem, a series of experiments were conducted to improve the quality of tomato seeds (two cultivars, i.e., “Sundar” and “Ahmar”) and to enhance the stand establishment, vigor, physiological, and biochemical attributes under growth chamber and greenhouse conditions by using potassium nitrate (KNO3) as a seed priming agent. Seeds were imbibed in 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.0, and 1.25 KNO3 (weight/volume) for 24 h and then dried before experiments. The results of growth chamber and greenhouse screening show that experimental units receiving tomato seeds primed with 0.75% KNO3 in both cultivars performed better as compared to other concentrations and nonprimed control. Significant increase in final emergence (%), mean emergence time, and physiological attributes were observed with 0.75% KNO3. Collectively, the improved performance of tomato due to seed priming with 0.75% KNO3 was linked with higher activities of total soluble sugars and phenolics under growth chamber and greenhouse screening.

Highlights

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a major vegetable crop on a global scale and one of the principle sources of phytonutrients [1,2], which makes it one of the preferred targets by researchers for metabolic engineering, as it is docile to biotechnological modifications [3]
Seedling time wasEstablishment recorded as per the equation earlier reported by International Seed Testing Association (ISTA)
The results of the present study indicate that the performance of both tomato cultivars primed with 0.75% KNO3 was appreciable in growth chamber, as well as in greenhouse screening, meaning that this effect was still appreciable under suboptimal growth conditions

Summary

Introduction

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a major vegetable crop on a global scale and one of the principle sources of phytonutrients [1,2], which makes it one of the preferred targets by researchers for metabolic engineering, as it is docile to biotechnological modifications [3]. Being a vegetable of major economic importance, the tomato is a source of minerals and vitamins, as well as an anticancer agent [4]. Germination and crop establishment are the most crucial physiological stages that are affected by seed quality and genetics [6]. Agriculture 2020, 10, 498 tomato yield and quality [7], which is of economic importance in agriculture. Various seed enhancement approaches, such as coating, pelleting, and priming, can be responsible to a major extent for improved quality of seeds Among these approaches, seed priming with suitable priming agents and concentrations can induce some physiological and biochemical changes in the seed, which result in improved crop performances in terms of enhanced germination potential, seedling vigor, and final yield [6,8]

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion