Effects of Seed Priming on Vitality and Preservation of Pepper Seeds

Abstract

Seed priming is a method for improving seed vigor, which can improve seed germinability, but the disappearance of positive priming effects and decrease of seed longevity during storage may limit its application. To determine the effect of priming on hot pepper seeds and the time during which priming effects can be maintained, it is necessary to monitor and study the variability of primed seeds during storage. In this study, several priming treatments with 3% KNO3, 20% PEG, or 3% KNO3 + 20% PEG and up to 8 months of storage of primed seeds were conducted on seeds of pepper strains No.63, No.73, and No.101. Germinability was improved by priming treatment. The germination percentage of primed seeds did not vary compared to non-primed ones, seeds germinated quickly and had strengthened emergence, especially for those primed with 3% KNO3 solution, which germinated significantly faster and the seedlings grew stronger. During the 8-month storage process, the beneficial effects of priming disappear after 6 months, beyond which the performance of primed seeds is worse than non-primed seeds. After 8 months of storage, the viability of primed pepper seeds dropped sharply. In general, preservation at −4 °C can retain the priming effects to the greatest degree and prevent the seed from losing viability for up to 6 months. Resistance to aging differed across varieties, with No.101 pepper seeds more resistant to aging than the other two varieties, regardless of priming treatment.