INFLUENCE OF SEED PRIMING ON EMERGENCE AND YIELD OF WHEAT

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at the Agronomy research field, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka from November, 2012 to March, 2013 to find out the effect of seed priming on two varieties of wheat. The experiment was conducted in split plot design with three replications. The experiment consisted of 10 different treatments i.e. P1: no priming, P2:3 hrs priming, P3: 6 hrs priming, P4: 9 hrs priming, P5: 12 hrs priming & V1: BARI Gom- 25, V2 : BARI Gom-26 . So, the treatment combinations were 1. V1P1 : No priming of BARI Gom-25, 2. V1P2 : 3 hr priming of BARI Gom-25, 3.V1P : 6 hr priming of BARI Gom-25, 4.V1P4: 9 hr priming of BARI Gom-25, 5.V1P5 :12 hr priming of BARI Gom-25, 6. V2P1 : No priming of BARI Gom-26, 7. V2P2 : 3 hr priming of BARI Gom-26, 8. V2P3 : 6 hr priming of BARI Gom-26, 9. V2P4 : 9 hr priming of BARI Gom-26, 10. V2P5 : 12 hr priming of BARI Gom-26. Results revealed that emergence rate of seedling both at 10 days after sowing and 15 days after sowing was found the highest at 9 hrs priming and lowest at no priming but in case of variety emergence rate was insignificant. In interaction both BARI Gom-25 and BARI Gom-26 gave higher emergence rate at 9 hrs priming and lower was also found at no priming with both the varieties. The highest LAI (7.28) at 60 days after sowing was observed at 9 hrs priming which was statistically similar with 6 hrs priming (7.01). The lowest LAI was at no priming (5.00). The highest number of effective tillers were recorded when seeds were primed for 9 hrs (37.67) and the lowest was recorded at no priming (32.83). Opposite result was recorded in case of ineffective tiller. The grain and straw yield for both the varieties showed statistically similar but the highest result at 9 hrs priming and lowest was recorded when both were not primed. Thousand grain weight was the highest at 9 hrs priming of BARI Gom-25 (49.82 g) and the lowest at no priming of BARI Gom-26 (38.64 g). It appeared from the above results that, the two varieties had no significant effect on emergence, growth and yield but priming showed significant result in all the cases where P4 (9 hrs priming) showed superior performance. Hence irrespective of variety 9 hrs priming showed better emergence and yield of wheat.