Effectsofosmoprimingonasafoetida(FerulaassafoetidaL.) germinationandseedlinggrowth

Asafoetida is one of the valuable medicinal plants belonging of the Apiaceae family. Resin extracted from this plant has many uses in industry and pharmacy. Because unsustainable harvesting of pastures, this plant has medicinal value at risk of extinction. Asafoetida seedlings in the early of the life cycle, have slow growth led to the poor seedlings establishment.Osmopriming improvement of techniques that can improve seed germination and seedling growth and thus to improve its establishment. To examine the effects of seed osmopriming on improving asafetida germination and seedling growth, carried out a factorial experiment in completely randomized design with three factors: time of osmopriming in three levels 12, 24 and 36 hours, solution type with three levels of calcium chloride, potassium dihydrogen phosphate and polyethylene glycol and osmotic potential -0.5, -1.0, -1.5 and -2.0 Mpa with 3 replications in the Faculty of Agriculture of Birjand University. The results indicated that time of osmopriming had significant effect on asafetida seed germination and seedling growth and the best time to asafetida seed osmopriming was 12 hours. The effect of solution type on seed germination and seedling growth was significant and that the solution of calcium chloride and potassium dihydrogen phosphate were treated showed a better seed germination and seedling growth. But osmotic potential effects on any of the germination and seedling growthwere significant