Influence of priming on the physiological traits of corn seed germination under drought stress

This study was performed to investigate the effect of drought stress and priming on germination of corn seeds (cultivar SC704) as a factorial experiment based on completely randomized design with three replications. Treatments were drought stress in four levels including 0,-3,-6 and -9 bar and priming as control, hydro, osmo, vitamin and hormone priming. Results showed that interaction of two factors was significant on radicle and plumule dry weight, seedling vigor and germination rate. Osmo-priming remained the radicle dry weight and seedling vigor index same to control but germination rate decreased in this treatment about 38% to control. Drought stress at any severity caused seed reservoirs were not use inefficiently. In conclusion, osmo and hormone primings were the best treatments for seed invigoration under severe drought stress