Abstract

NICASIO-ARZETA, Sergio; SANCHEZ-CORONADO, M. Esther; OROZCO-SEGOVIA, Alma  and  GAMBOA-DE BUEN, Alicia. Effect of priming and saline substrate on germination and seedling growth of chalqueño maize (Zea mays). Agrociencia [online]. 2011, vol.45, n.2, pp.195-205. ISSN 2521-9766.

The pregerminative treatment of burying seeds in the soil has a positive effect on germination and seedling establishment. The pregerminative treatments applied to maize (Zea mays) increase their germination and seedling establishment under controlled and stress conditions. Therefore, the pretreatment germination in the soil where this species will be cultivated might increase seedling establishment. In this study, the imbibition of seeds buried in saline and non saline soil and of seeds with hydropriming was assessed. Imbibition was reassessed during germination including seeds without pretreatment (control). The seedlings obtained were planted in pots with saline and non saline soil in a shade house (experimental design 4 X 2). At 11, 15, 18 and 22 d after sowing, height, leaf number, leaf area, root, stem, leaves and total bio mass were calculated, as well as the ratio of: leaf area, leaf mass, stem mass and root/ shoot. The analysis of variance was applied to data of final contents of water, germination percentage, imbibition and germination rates and growth variables. To know the differences between treatments the Tukey test (p≤0.05) was applied. Pretreatment in both soils increased the maximum rate and final germination percentage and biomass accumulation. Seedling growth from seeds treated in saline soil recorded better results. Therefore, the type of soil used in the pretreatment confers advantages to seedlings grown in the same soil type, even when conditions are adverse.

Keywords : saline stress; hydropriming; natural priming; seedling vigor.

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