The Effect of Priming on Seed Viability of Canola (Brassica napus) Cultivars under Different Storage Conditions

Priming is one of the most commonly used seed enhancement techniques. Events such as increased synthesis of nucleic acids, activation of repair processes, increased respiratory activity, and improved antioxidant capacity during priming lead to advanced metabolism in seeds. The most important effects of priming include increased percentage, speed and uniformity of germination and emergence. However, the longevity of primed seeds in storage is the major concern for researchers as it restricts widespread use of this technique. Some researchers believe that priming reduces the storage capacity of seeds, while others have reported increased seed shelf life after using priming treatments. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the effects of priming on the storage capacity of the seeds of canola cultivars under different storage conditions.

In this study, the effects of priming on the shelf life of seeds of three canola cultivars including Dk-xpower, Traper and Hayola50 were investigated. For this purpose, the seeds were first treated with hydropriming and osmopriming methods. Then primed and control seeds with 6, 9, 12 and 15% moisture content were stored for 8 months at 15, 25, 35 and 45 °C. Sampling from different seed treatments was carried out at intervals of 1 to 30 days to assess germination. Finally, by fitting a three-parameter logistic model to cumulative germination data versus the day after storage, the time to germination loss to 50% was calculated and used to compare seed storage behavior between the treatments.

The results showed that the storage behavior of canola seed varies greatly depending on the cultivar, and each cultivar showed a distinct behavior. Priming effects on the shelf life of seeds were different depending on the storage conditions, cultivars and also the priming methods. Comparison of the effects of priming on the seeds’ shelf life under different storage conditions showed that priming treatments were more efficient under higher seed moisture content and storage temperatures than those with lower seed moisture content and storage temperatures. In addition, priming treatments in Dk-xpower cultivar often increased the seeds’ shelf life. However, in the Traper and Hayola 50 cultivars, hydropriming often improved the seeds’ shelf life, and in contrast to osmopriming, it led to a decrease in the shelf life of the seeds.

Based on the results of this study, it was shown that priming effects on canola seed viability can be a function of various factors such as cultivar, storage conditions, and also the type of priming treatment. Moreover, in this study, hydropriming often increased seed longevity whereas osmopriming often increased the deterioration rate and reduced seed longevity.