title: Responses of seed germination, seedling growth, and seed yield traits to seed pretreatment in maize (Zea mays L.).
abstract: A series of seed priming experiments were conducted to test the effects of different pretreatment methods to seed germination, seedling growth, and seed yield traits in maize (Zea mays L.). Results indicated that the seeds primed by gibberellins (GA), NaCl, and polyethylene glycol (PEG) reagents showed a higher imbibitions rate compared to those primed with water. The final germination percentage and germination rate varied with different reagents significantly (P < 0.05). The recommended prime reagents were GA at 10 mg/L, NaCl at 50 mM, and PEG at 15% on account of germination experiment. 15% PEG priming reagent increased shoot and root biomass of maize seedling. The shoot biomass of seedlings after presoaking the seeds with NaCl reagent was significantly higher than the seedlings without priming treatment. No significant differences of plant height, leaf number, and hundred-grain weight were observed between control group and priming treatments. Presoaking with water, NaCl (50 mM), or PEG (15%) significantly increased the hundred-grain weight of maize. Therefore, seed pretreatment is proved to be an effective technique to improve the germination performance, seedling growth, and seed yield of maize. However, when compared with the two methods, if immediate sowing is possible, presoaking is recommended to harvest better benefits compared to priming method.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin 130118, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, Shandong 264003, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.affiliation: Northeast Institute of Geography and Agricultural Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin 130102, China.
authors.forename: Daowei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, Shandong 264003, China.
authors.forename: Junbao
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3433-3538
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation (Alliance between NSW Department of Primary Industries and Charles Sturt University), Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute, Pine Gully Road, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650, Australia.
authors.forename: Guangdi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin 130118, China.
authors.forename: Yujie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lou
mesh_terms: D018525:Germination / Q000187:drug effects; D005875:Gibberellins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D036226:Seedlings / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012639:Seeds / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D003313:Zea mays / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D005875:Gibberellins; D012965:Sodium Chloride
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