Effects of On-farm Seed Priming and Sowing Date on Yield and Yield Components of Three Soybean Cultivars (Glycine max L.) in Hamedan

In order to determine the effects of on-farm seed priming and sowing date on yield and yield components of three soybean cultivars, an experiment was conducted in Hamedan in 2009, as split plot factorial in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Main plots were representative of two sowing date (June 5 th & June 21 st) while subplots included combinations of soybean cultivars (L17, M7 and M9) and priming treatments (soaking seeds for 4 hours in 0.02% zinc solution, 0.4% potassium nitrate solution, tap water and no-primed). Yield and yield components, biological yield, harvest index and plant height were measured. Results showed that, late sowing caused to significant reduction in harvest index, yield and pod number per lateral branch. M9 cultivar in the most traits except seed number per pod of lateral branch and plant height, was better than two other cultivars. In M7 and M9 cultivars priming with zinc solution and tap water could compensate late sowing negative effect on pod number per main stem and lateral branch. Considering to interactions between cultivars and priming treatments on the yield, M9 cultivar under tap water priming showed the most positive reaction and showed yield of 4285 kg per hectare which was about 35 percent more than of no-primed treatment.