Effect of Seed Priming on Seedling Growth of Acacia nilotica

摘要

The present study was conducted at department of Forestry and Natural Resources in Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana. The field experiment was conducted during two seasons i.e. Rainy season (July 2017) and autumn season (February, 2018). Experiment consists of 10 seed priming treatments with KCl, NaCI and CaCl_2, at 5, 10 and 15 Mmole and hydro priming (control). Among the season of sowing, significant increase in germination, growth and biomass parameters was observed in Rainy season than autumn season. The growth attributes viz. seedling height and number of branches per seedling were higher in treatment i.e. CaCl_2, 10 Mmole, KCl 15 Mmole, respectively. However, collar diameter, root length and root diameter were higher in seedlings treatedwith KCl 10 Mmole. Biomass parameters i.e. shoot fresh weight was recorded highest in seedlings raised from seeds treated with seed primers calcium chloride 15 Mmole. Whereas, root fresh weight, shoot dry weight and root dry weight were recorded highestin seedlings raised from seeds treated with calcium chloride CaCl_2 10 Mmole. While seed priming with NaCI recorded lower growth and biomass attributes of seedlings.