Comparison of Various Seed Priming Methods for Improving the Growth and Yield of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Under Saline Conditions

In this study, potential of seed priming techniques were investigated in improving the yield of barley cultivars (Sahra and Khoram) in a saline field in Simin Shahr, Gomishan. For the purpose of priming, barley seeds were soaked in distilled water (hydropriming), aerated solution of salicylic acid (50 mg l-1; salicylic priming), gibberellic acid (50 ppm; gibberellic priming), CaCl2 (50 mg l-1; halopriming), and polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000, 13.5%, osmopriming) for 12 h. In addition, untreated seeds were also taken as control. The results showed that seed priming treatments substantially improved the stand establishment with osmopriming being the most effective compared to the other treatments. Likewise, maximum fertile tillers, grains per spike, 1000-grain weight, grain yield and harvest index were observed in plants raised from osmoprimed seeds followed by halopriming in both cultivars tested. Seed priming treatments also improved the leaf K contents with simultaneous decrease in Na concentration, osmopriming being the best treatment. Similarly, maximum total phenolic contents, total soluble proteins (TSP), α-amylase and protease activity were observed in osmoprimed seeds followed by halopriming. In conclusion, different seed priming treatments in barley seeds improved the salinity tolerance. Nonetheless, osmopriming was the most effective treatments to get higher grain yield in both barley cultivars whereas gibberellic treatment was the least effective.