The effect of wheat seed priming treatments on physiological characteristics, yield and radiation use efficiency under rainfed conditions

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 P.hD. Graduate of Agronomy, Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran

2 Professor, Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran

3 Associate Professor, Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran

4 Associate Professor, Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Campus of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

5 Professor, Department of Plant Sciences, Agricultural and Marine Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Al-Khoud, Oman

Abstract

Introduction
Approximately 40% of agricultural land is located in dryland regions, and dryland agriculture plays a key role in providing food worldwide. Enhancing the productivity of dryland agricultural systems is a significant challenge for ensuring food security, particularly in light of reduced rainfall attributed to climate change. Given the rising population and the limitations on expanding arable land, the main way to increase crop productivity is through effective management techniques. Among various strategies to improve plant yield is seed priming, which is a cost-effective, efficient, and practical method that carries minimal risk. Vitaspirin is utilized as a therapeutic agent to alleviate stress in livestock and poultry. This study aimed to explore the impact of seed priming with Vitaspirin and other substances on various aspects of dryland wheat.
 
Materials and methods
The study was conducted utilizing a randomized complete block design in three cropping seasons: 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20. Wheat seeds were primed in solutions of urea (2%), zinc sulfate (0.6 %), potassium chloride (1%), calcium chloride (1.4 %), vitaspirin (0.1 %) and cytokinin (0.005 %). Seeds soaked in water (hydropriming) and unprimed seed were used as controls. During the seed priming process, 4.5 kg of Azar 2 seeds were aerated for 10 h at 16-18 °C using 22.5 liters of each solution (ratio 1:5). The seeds underwent dried in air prior to their planting in the field.
 
Results and discussion
In this experiment, seed priming with calcium chloride and urea resulted in the highest grain yield during the 2018–2019 cropping season. Seed priming with calcium chloride during the 2018–2019 cropping season had the maximum chlorophyll and proline concentration in the leaves. Also, the concentration of carbohydrates in leaves was significantly increased by hydropriming, seed priming with  Vitaspirin, urea, and calcium chloride. In this study, plant height and stem internodes (extrusion length, peduncle length, penultimate length) were simultaneously increased by seed priming with Vitaspirin,  urea, calcium chloride, and hydropriming. Seed priming with calcium chloride and urea in the 2018–2019 cropping season significantly boosted LAImax and CGRmax  and decreased the time needed to reach LAImax and CGRmax. In the 2018–2019 cropping season, seed priming with zinc sulfate had the maximum dry matter and RUE. Seed priming with zinc sulfate during the 2018-2019 cropping season emerged as one of the most effective treatments for enhancing grain yield in this study. Seed priming with urea in the 2018–2019 cropping season came in second place in terms of RUE and grain yield. Results showed that urea priming emerged as a superior treatment, enhancing not only grain yield but also yielding a more favorable benefit-to-cost ratio. The easy accessibility and relatively non-toxic nature of urea make it a promising treatment for on-farm adaptation, offering a practical option for farmers.
 
Conclusion
Primed seeds emerge more quickly and become established in the field. As a result of the 2019–2020 crop season's lower rainfall, seedlings derived from primed seeds experienced subject to reduced available moisture earlier than seedlings derived from non-primed seeds. This led to the death of the seedling, a reduction in the number of tillers and spikes, and finally a drop in grain yield. This showed how important the initial growing conditions were for the effectiveness of priming treatments. In general, in the 2018-2019 cropping season, when the amount of rainfall was higher compared to the other two cropping seasons, the effect of seed priming on improving grain yield was also higher. It can be argued that, under rainfed conditions, seed priming enhances grain yield primarily during growing seasons with higher rainfall. Consequently, the effectiveness of seed priming in boosting grain yield diminishes as rainfall decreases, a finding that warrants further and more rigorous investigation.

Keywords

References

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Environmental Stresses in Crop Sciences

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 27 June 2026

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  • Receive Date: 28 January 2025
  • Revise Date: 18 March 2025
  • Accept Date: 23 March 2025

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