Effect of seed priming on grain yield and quality of rice cultivars (Oryza sativa L.) in Ahvaz region

Experimental treatments include the seed priming including: control (soaking seeds for 24 hours in water), soaking seeds for 8, 16 and 24 hours in seed guard solution was performed in the main plots and three cultivars of rice including: Champa,, Anbarbo and high yielding cultivar i.e. LD-183 were applied in the sub-plots. The results showed that the effect of duration of priming on number of spike per square meter, number of grains per spike, 1000-grain weight, grain yield, biological yield and grain protein percentage was significant. The effect of cultivar type was significant in all measurement traits. The interaction effect of seed duration of priming and cultivar type was not significant in terms of grain yield and biological yield and significant in terms of other traits. The maximum grain yield was obtained in Anbarbo cultivar + 24 hours in seed guard solution with an average of 5621.77 and the minimum grain yield in Champa cultivar + 24 hours in normal water with an average of 32264.5 kg/ha. The maximum grain protein was obtained in 24 hours in seed guard solution with an average of 11% and the minimum grain protein in 24 hours in ordinary water with an average of 8.3%. In general, the results of experiment showed that the effect seed priming by seed guard solution with increasing production components could be effective in increasing quantitative and qualitative yield as compared to soaking the seeds in water (local custom) and it can suggested by researchers and farmers.