Enhancing Wheat Germination and Seedling Growth through Hydro and Osmo-Priming with Polyethylene Glycol

Abstract

Seed priming is a controlled hydration process followed by re-drying that allows the seed to imbibe water and begin internal biological processes necessary for germination, but does not allow the seed to germinate. The current study was conducted during 2024 season to elucidate the effect of seed priming techniques (hydropriming and osmo-priming with polyethylene glycol (PEG) at different concentrations) on seed germination and seedling growth of two wheat varieties. A factorial experiment using a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications was used to conduct this experiment. Two varieties of wheat (Sakha 95 and Gemmiza 12) were examined under five priming treatments (distilled water, 4% PEG, 8% PEG, 12% PEG and 16% PEG solution). Seeds without priming were used as a control. The findings revealed that the variety (Sakha 95) with hydro and 12% PEG concentration was superior in germination percentage (100%). The variety (Sakha 95) was superior in all studied traits (Germination %, shoot length , root length, seedling dry weight, seedling vigor index, seedling length, seedling growth rate, germination index and germination coefficient) whereas, (Gemmiza 12) gave the lowest values in the same traits. Hydropriming had a positive effect on germination and seedling growth. Osmo-priming with 12% PEG was the best in most studied traits compared with all the other treatments. Therefore, results suggested that osmo-priming with 12% PEG was a useful technique to enhance germination and seedling growth of wheat. It was concluded that hydro and osmo-priming with PEG helps to enhance germination and seedling growth of wheat varieties.