نشریه علوم و تحقیقات بذر ایران
سال هفتم شماره 2 (تابستان 1399)

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of seed coating with fertilizer containing nutrients and growth stimulants of Fosnotron, Aminol-forte, Humi-forte and Humica on the establishment and growth of sugar beet seedlings at Mohaghegh Ardebil University in 2017 under field conditions. The experiment was conducted as factorial based on randomized complete block design with four replications.  Seed washing (washing without washing), hybrid seeds (Shokoufa-Pars), and seed coating with various amounts of fertilizer containing nutrients and growth stimulants of Fosnotron (12.62, 25.24 and 50.50 ml /kg seed), Aminol-forte (12.62, 25.24 and 50.50 ml /kg of seed), Humi-forte (12.62, 25.24 and 50.50 ml /kg of seed) and Humica (10, 20 and 30 ml /kg of seed), which contains 12 treatments, were treated with a control (no cover-up) were the experimental factors. The results showed that seed washing reduced the difference between hybrids in terms of time to 90 % emergence and both hybrids grew simultaneously and faster. Seed coating with Humica increased the percentage of plant establishment in both hybrids. Seed treatment with Fosnotron had the lowest percentage of plant establishment compared to other treatments. The results of this study showed that seed coating after seed washing increased the effectiveness of sugar beet seed coating. So, the percentage of plant establishment in all treatments of seed coating after seed washing treatment was significantly higher than that of seed coating without washing. Dry weight of leaf was higher in all seed treatments other than seed coating with Fosnotron (50.50 ml / kg seed) compared to control treatment. Among treatments, seed coating with Humica (30 ml / kg seed) with dry leaf weight of 19.89 g had the highest leaf dry weight. Among different treatments, Seed coating with Humica and Aminole-Forte in Pars hybrid and after seed washing had the highest root dry weight. In this study, maximum chlorophyll index and quantum function of Photosystem II at 30 ml Humeika per kg of seed were observed.

In order to investigate the effects of accelerated aging and hydro-priming of seed on germination and growth characteristics of corn seedling (cv. single cross 701), a factorial experiment was conducted based on completely randomized design with three replications in the research laboratory of University of Maragheh, Iran in 2015 year. Factors included three level of accelerated aging of seed (zero (control) and 2 and 4 days) and three level of pre-treatment of seed (Non-priming and hydro-priming for a period of 12 and 24 hours). The results of analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the simple effect of aging of seed and hydro-priming on all studied traits was significant at 1% probability level, but only the interaction of aging of seed and hydro-priming was significant on ascorbate peroxidase activity, electrolyte leakage rate, germination percent and germination rate. Simple and interaction effects of aging of seed and hydro-priming on the ratio of plumule to radicle were non-significant. The results of the mean comparison showed that all of the traits were reduced due to aging of seed. The soluble proteins contents, superoxide dismutase activity, plumule length, radicle length and seed vigor index due to seed aging of 2 days were 13.7, 10.9, 14.8, 14.8 and 33.2%, respectively, and due to seed aging of 4 days, they decreased by 36.8, 33.4, 32.4, 35.0 and 67.9%, respectively, relative to the control (without aging of seed). The results indicated that by increasing the duration of the hydro-priming of seeds from 12 to 24 hours, the soluble proteins contents, superoxide dismutase activity, plumule length, radicle length and seed vigor index were increased. Based on the results of interaction effects it was found that in the non-aged seed (control) applying hydro-priming for 24 hours was the highest and in the aged seeds (for 4 days), no hydro-priming had the least ascorbate peroxidase activity and percentage and germination rate. According to the results of this research, it can be stated that hydro-priming (especially for 24 hours) can decrease some of the destructive and minor effects of seed aging, and this technique can be used for reduction of the damage caused by the aging of corn seeds.

Low quality of seeds resulting from seed deterioration is of major concerns underlying reduction in both quality and quantity of production in agricultural sector. Therefore, applying compounds like CA to alleviate seed aging deleterious effects and eventually to ensure final crop yield is important. Effects of five different CA on germination percentage and seed vigor were assessed as a factorial based on completely randomized design in seed lab of plant physiology group in Wageningen University.  Effects of three different concentrations of CA on physiological traits, yield and yield components of cowpea plants from seeds with different primary qualities were assessed in a two-year field experiment as factorial based on completely randomized blocks in three replications. Results indicated that CA had no significant effect on germination of unaged seeds, but concentrations of 15 and 30 µM improved seed vigor. In aged seeds CA pretreatment induced a 13-percent (45 and 60 µM) and 38-peercent (45 µM) in germination and seed vigor, respectively. Assessed characteristics differently responded to CA application based on their primary seed quality. So that when the CA application improved a trait, the trait was reduced in plants of different seed primary quality. In total, CA foliar application in plants from aged seeds was more effective to enhance yield and yield components while the reverse result was obtained for plants from unaged seeds.In case of dry matter accumulation, aged seed pretreatment was more effective than foliar application while a reverse result was obtained for plants from unaged seeds.

Due to the importance of using medicinal plants in curing diseases in one hand and disturbance of natural habitats in the other hand, their domestication and intensive cultivation are necessary. One of the problems in the propagation of these plants is seed dormancy. Therefore, finding low cost and efficient breaking seed dormancy treatments for Artemisia (Artemisia aucheri) is necessary. In this research, effects of ultrasonic waves and hydropriming on seed germination of Artemisia were evaluated in an experiment as factorial in the base of completely randomized design with three replications in the faculty of agriculture, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran. Both primed (hydro-priming for 7 hours) and non-primed seeds exposed to ultrasonic waves (0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 min of 50 KH) and germination test were done. Results showed that all studied germination and seedling parameters were affected by ultrasonic waves significantly. Effect of hydro-priming was significant on germination percentage and speed, root and radicle lengths, seedling dry weight and seed electrical conductivity. Ion leakage was decreased by increasing in duration of ultrasonic waves; this phenomenon was more obvious in hydro-primed seed in comparison to non-primed one. The highest germination percentage and speed were obtained by hydro-priming +10 min ultrasonic waves. Therefore, according to the conventional time-consumed seed dormancy breaking methods, the use of ultrasound as a new technology to break dormancy as an alternative to older methods is recommended.

This research was conducted in order to study correlationof hybrid maize single cross SC704 parental inbred lines seed germination ability and vigour and seedling field emergence in seed analysis laboratory research field of Seed and Plant Certification and Registration Institute (SPCRI) at Karaj. Experiment treatments were hybrid maize single cross SC704 parental inbred MO17, B73rfc and B73cms by 87, 90 and 93 percent initial germination ability. By standard germination test conducting normal seedlings percent, mean germination Time, coefficient of velocity of germination, daily germination speed, mean daily germination, seedling  length and dry weight and seedling length and weight vigour indices determined. In field experiment final seedling emergence percent, mean seedling emergence time, seedling emergence rate, seedling field emergence index and seedling vigour index in field measured. Results indicated that by increasing initial germination ability normal seedling percent, daily germination speed and mean daily germination increased. Seeds have 93 percent of all studied lines and MO17 line had the most and lowest mean seedling emergence time in field respectively. Generally this research results indicated by increasing initial seed germination ability studied seed germination and seedling emergence indices improved and seeds having high germination ability planting, caused more final seedling field emergence and seedling vigor index in field. Also MO17 and B73CMS lines have better studied seed germination and seedling field emergence indices.

Seed pre-treatment with ultrasound wave is a bio-physical method of seed priming, seed imbibition with water is also a way to improve germination, so in order to investigate the effect of ultrasound pretreatment and 4 imbibition hours' time (0, 3, 6 and 9 hour) on germination and biochemical feature of Echinacea purpureaL., A completely randomized design experiment with 8 treatment and 3 replications was conducted. Treatments including 4 imbibition time (I) and ultra-sonic wave (W) with this arrangement (I0W0, IW, I3W0, I3W, I6W0, I6W, I9W0 and I9W). The results of analyses of variance showed that the effect of imbibition times and ultrasonic wave on total characteristics was significant. Ultra-sonic wave and imbibition times in most treatment increased germination percentage then to control. The highest and lowest amount of germination percentage respectively in I6W and control (I0W0) with means of 97.3 and 84% observed. The highest amount of solution protein in treatments I6W and I9W with average of 43.2 mgg-1 FW and the lowest amount of it in control with average of 27 mgg-1 FW was observed. Ultra-sonic wave and imbibition times in total treatment could show higher amount of total sugar then to control. The highest amount of starch in control and I0W treatment with average of 5.8 mgg-1 FW and the lowest amount of it in treatment IW6 with average of 3.02 mgg-1 FW observed, and the end imbibition with ultra-sonic wave could improve germination percent and germination rate in Echinacea purpurea seeds.

Linum album Ky. Ex Boiss. is a perennial herb from Linaceae family, which have lignans that are anti-cancer compounds. Like other medicinal herbs the seeds of Linum album due to exposure to particular ecological conditions have dormancy, therefore, identification of ecophysiological factors that affecting on dormancy and determining the optimal conditions for seed germination and establishment of plants is essential to produce them. So in order to perform three experiments includes: investigation the effect of 15 different treatments on dormancy breaking (completely randomized design), germination (completely randomized design) and seedling establishment of different populations (randomized complete block design), seeds of these plants were collected in June 2014 from 13 sites. The results of this study showed that the effect of different treatments on germination percentage and other germination indices was significant at 1% level. In the control treatment, no germination occurred. The best results observed in 1000 ppm GA with 88.33 percent germination. The highest percentage of germination and seedling establishment observed in populations A4 (78.08%) and A6 (41.33%). To remove dormancy in Linum album it is proposed that we use combined GA treatment with stratification. Also, based on the indices studied, the use of populations A1 and A6 is recommended for improvement of breeding programs.

In order to study the effects of seed priming (GA3, KNO3, temperature and soaking) on seed germination and some physiological characteristics (protein content and prolin cantent) and enzymitc activity (catalase, peroxidase, α-amilaze ) of Capparis spinosa and Kelussia odoratissima, two Separate experiment were conducted as completely randomized design. Treatments used in this experiment had significant effects on seed germination percentage, shoot and root length, protein content and α-amylase enzyme content in both plants. The results showed that 1 and 2 mg L-1 GA3 increased root length and 2 mg L-1 GA3 increased shoot length in both plants. 1 and 2 mg L-1 KNO3 had positive effects on protein content. one and 2 mg L-1 KNO3, soaking and keeping at 40c for 30 and 60 days increased protein content in Capparis spinosa. The highest amount of α-amilaze enzyme in Capparis spinosa was obtained from keeping seeds at 60c for 60 days and in Kelussia odoratissima, the highest data was recorded at maintenance at 40c for 90 days and soaking and keeping at 40c for 30, 60 and 90 days. The top quantities of seed germination percentage were obtained from soaking, then maintenance at 40c for 30 days in Kelussia odoratissima and for 30 and 60 days in C. spinosa. In Kelussia odoratissima, the highest data for Catalase enzyme was recorded at 40c and 60c after 90 days. The highest data for Proline content was obtained from 2 mg L-1 GA3 and soaking and keeping at 40cfor 90 days. Finally, our results showed that seed priming with GA3 and soaking, then maintenance at 40c for 30 and 60 days had positive effects on seed germinations in both studied plants.
 

In order to investigate the effect of salicylic acid on germination properties under salinity conditions, a factorial design based on complementary randomized design with three replications. The test factors consisted of salicylic acid at three levels (zero, 0.75 and 1.5 millimolar) and salinity stress at five levels (0, 100, 200, 300 and 400 millimolar). The effects of salicylic acid and salinity stress on seed vigor index, fresh weight and seedling dry weight were significant. The effects of salicylic acid and salinity on other traits were significant at 1% probability level. The results showed that salinity significantly reduced germination and seedling growth, but salicylic acid improved germination indices and increased germination in stressed treatments. With increasing salinity stress, the rate and germination percentage decreased. The maximum rate of germination was obtained in saline silicic acid (1.5mM) treatment under non salinity conditions. Pre-treatment significantly increased the activity of catalase enzyme compared to pretreatment and decreased malondialdehyde in salicylic acid treatments. Pre-treatment at a concentration of 1.5 (mM), while also having more effect on germination, increased the resistance of seedlings of Nigella sativa under salinity stress.

In order to study the effects of seed priming with salicylic acid and ascorbic acid on grain yield and yield components of sunflower under water deficit conditions, an experiment was conducted in a split plot factorial experiment with three replications, at 2014-2015 crop season. First factor was irrigation in two levels (normal and water deficit condition) in the main plots and the factorial combination of ascorbic acid levels (control, 50 and 100 ppm) and salicylic acid levels (control, 100 and 200 ppm) were in subplots. The results of the treatments mean comparison showed that the water stress decreased seeds number of head (18.44%), 1000 grain weight (17.44%), grain yield (40.86%) and oil yield (63.53%). Among treatments of interaction between irrigation and salicylic acid, the highest rate of Number of seeds per capita (1197.11), grain yield (10.10 ton/ha), oil yield (4.98 ton/ha), was belonged to seed priming with 200ppm salicylic acid in normal condition. Among irrigation and ascorbic acid treatment interactions, the highest number of seeds per head (1121.9) and grain yield (9.13 ton/ha) was allocated to level of 100ppm ascorbic acid under normal irrigation condition. Among the interactions of salicylic acid and ascorbic acid treatment the highest value of  seeds number of head (1091.6), grain yield (9.98 ton/ha) and oil yield (4.58%), was recorded in seeds priming with 200ppm salicylic and 100ppm ascorbic acid. Therefore, to achieve maximum economic yield in both conditions, seeds priming with salicylic acid and ascorbic acid was recommended.