USE OF OSMO-HARDENING TECHNIQUE TO IMPROVE GERMINATION AND SEEDLING VIGOR OF TWO SORGHUM CULTIVARS

Abstract

A laboratory experiment was carried out under the laboratory natural conditions of Seed Technology Laboratory, Department of Field Crops, College of Agriculture, University of Anbar,Iraq, during year of 2017, to study the effect ofseedpriming(concentrations ofpotassiumchloride solutionKCli.e.0, 15,20,25 and30mgL -1 )ongermination and seedling vigor oftwo sorghum cultivars(Rabih and Inkath).The experiment was carried outin factorial experiment in completely randomized design (CRD) with four replications. The main results of this study were as follow; Rabih cultivarsignificantlysuperiorInkathcultivarandresultedinthehighestvaluesofgerminationspeedandfinalgermination percentages, radical length and seedling vigor index. While, Inkath cultivar resulted in the highest values of plumel length.Germinationandseedlingvigorparameterswere significantly enhancedasincreasingconcentrationofpotassium chloride (KCl) as seed priming from 0 to 15 and 20 mg L -1 . Conversely, increasing concentration of KCl asseed priming from 25 to 30 and 20 mg L -1 significantly decreased germination and seedling vigor parameters. It could be concluded that priming seeds of Rabih sorghum cultivar in 20 mg KCl L -1 for 24 hours to enhance germination and seedling vigor character