Effects of seed priming andrnsupplementary irrigation on yield and yield component of Lallemantia iberica

Abstract

This research was carriedrnout in 2012 and 2013 to investigate the effects of seed priming andrnsupplementary irrigation on yield and yield component of Lallemantiarniberica. Two experiments were arranged as factorial based on randomizedrncomplete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Seed priming methods wererncontrol, hydro-priming, salt-priming and irradiation with two doses of gammarnrays (200 and 400 Gy) and irrigation treatments were rain-fed (I1),rnirrigation at flowering stage (I2) and irrigation at both floweringrnand grain filling stages (I3). Plant establishment, grain number perrnplant, hundred grain weight, biological yield, grain yield and harvest indexrnwere evaluated. Results showed that hydro-priming increased plantrnestablishment, but the differences between control, hydro-priming and KNO3rnpriming was not significant. Moreover, differences in harvest index amongrncontrol, hydro-priming and KNO3 priming were not significant. PlantrnEstablishment and harvest index were decreased by gamma irradiation of seeds.rnPlants from hydro-primed seeds produced the highest number of grains per plant.rnHundred grain weight was enhanced by hydro-priming and gamma irradiation (200rnGy) under I3 and gamma irradiation (400 Gy) under all irrigationrntreatments, compared with non-priming. Biological yield was improved byrnhydro-priming under I2 and I3 and gamma irradiation (200rnGy) under I3. The highest grain yield per unit area was recorded forrnplants from hydro-primed seeds under I2 and I3 followedrnby plants from unprimed seeds under I2. Since hydro-priming of Lallemantiarniberica seeds due to mucilage content is difficult, cultivation ofrnnon-primed seeds with a supplementary irrigation at flowering stage couldrnproduce satisfactory yield.