Seed priming alleviates crop growth inhibition by salinity

Abstract

Salinity has become one main obstacle in increasing marginal land crop productivity. Several attempts have been made to deal with salinity. This study aimed to alleviate rice and soybean growth inhibition as caused by salinity, using seed priming during pre-sowing. The factorial Randomized Completely Block Design was used in both experiments. First experiment examined the effects of seed priming using four levels of NaCl concentrations, i.e. 0.2, 150, 300 and 450 mM NaCl on the growth and yield of two rice varieties (Dendang and IR 64) in salinity. Whereas in the second experiment, the effects of seed priming using three levels NaCl concentrations, i.e. 0, 40 and 80 mM were tested on three soybean varieties (Anjasmoro, Dering and Grobogan) under salinity. The results of first experiment showed that the two rice varieties responded differently to seed priming treatments. Seed priming using 150 mM NaCl increased leaf and root surface area as well as yield in IR 64 variety. However, Dendang (the salt tolerant variety) was less responsive to seed priming compared to IR 64. Similar results were also found from the second experiment. Among three soybean cultivars, only Dering (the salt sensitive variety) which showed a positive responses to seed priming up to 80 mM NaCl.