Effect of seed priming treatments on seed yield & yield attributes of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seeds under well watered & rainfed conditions

Abstract

The present study was conducted on wheat variety “K-9351 (Mandakini)” and was procured from Seed Processing Plant, C.S Azad University of Agriculture & Technology, Kanpur. The experiment was conducted in Rabi 2014-15 and 2015-16. The seeds were used for seed priming treatments, i.e.T1= Control (Unprimed), T2= Priming with tap water, T3= Priming with KNO3 (2.5%), T4= Priming with GA3 (50ppm), T5= Priming with Cacl2 (1%), T6= Priming with NaCl (1%) & T7= Priming with KH2 PO4 (1%). Priming was done by soaking of required quantity of seeds of wheat variety Mandakini K-9351 in tap water and various chemicals’ concentration for 12 hrs in ratio of 1:1 (Kg of seeds/volume of solution) by using wet gunny bags. Then the treated or primed seeds were dried in shade to maintain the seed moisture content approximately 12 or 13%. Seed dressing was done on primed and untreated (control) by Thiram (2.5%). Seeds priming were KNO3 @ 2.5% on wheat variety Mandakini (K-9351) significantly improved the seed yield & yield parameters with percent increase of 27.02 & 20.36 in final plant stand in 1m2 area, 36.48 & 15.93 in harvest index (%), 33.05 & 37.19 in number of effective tillers/plant, 31.07 & 41.89 in number of seeds/spike, 10.63 in Spike length (Well watered condition), 25.17 & 20.61 in Seed yield/plot (kg) & 25.19 & 20.38 in Seed yield (q/ha), over unprimed or control whereas percent decrease in days to 75% crop stand & days to 75% flowering was observed in GA3 (50 ppm) as (31.61 & 3.84) & (23.52 & 3.04) respectively under irrigated and rain fed conditions, respectively.