INFLUENCE OF PRIMING TECHNIQUES ON SEED GERMINATION

A laboratory study was conducted to evaluate the influence of seed priming techniques on germination and early growth of tow maize inbred lines which were include of B73 and MO17. Seeds were hydroprimed for 12, 24, 36 and 48 h, osmoprimed in urea solution and in solution of polyethylene glycol-6000(PEG- 6000) for 96 h (water potential-1.2MPa). Priming techniques affected seed germination and early growth of both inbred lines. Hydropriming resulted in lower time taken to 50 % germination and higher germination index, vigor index and final germination percentage in both genotypes. Maximum invigoration was observed in seeds hydroprimed for 36 h as indicated by higher germination rate, radical length. Conversely, for most germination parameters osmoprimed seeds behaved similar to or even poor than that of control