Priming enhances germination of spring maize (Zea mays L.) under cool conditions

Reduction and delay in the germination of spring maize (Zea mays L) may be it problem due to low soil temperatures and low water potentials. However. seed priming is used to improve rate and speed of germination, and expand temperature limits for germination under normal and stressful conditions. Therefore, the objectivc of this study was to assess the physiological and biochemical basis of primed maize seeds under low temperature conditions. Maize seeds were subjected to hydropriming, hormonal priming with 100 mg L-1 GA(3) or IAA solutions and halopriming with 50 mM CaCl2 or 50 mg L-1 ascorbate (ASA) for 24 h. All pre-sowing seeds treatments resulted in a higher germination percentage and germination index, lower mean germination time and mean emergence time. All seed treatments resulted in higher seedling fresh and dry weight compared with that of control with maximum dry weight recorded for seeds subjected to ASA, CaCl2 and GA(3). Performance was better in seeds subjected to CaCl2 or ASA followed by GA(3) for 24 h than for tire other printing agents. This could be ascribed to the effect of lower T-50, higher reducing and total Sugars its well as higher alpha-amylase activity.