Influence of seed priming on seed germination and vigor traits of Vicia villosa ssp. dasycarpa (Ten.)

Laboratory and greenhouse experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of hydro- and osmotic priming on seed germination and vigor traits of two seed lots of wooly pod vetch (Vicia villosa ssp. dasycarpaTen.). Factorial combinations of two seed lots (two periods of storage) and six levels of priming treatment (unprimed control, distilled water (hydro-primed), 0.155, 0.310, 0.465 and 0.620 M KNO3) were laid out in a completely randomized design with four replications. Seeds were primed for 24 h at temperature of 20 ± 1°C. The effects of seed lot, priming treatment, and their interactions were significant at (P<0.05) for seed germination and vigour traits. Seed priming significantly improved all traits investigated in both seed lots with the exception of root length, seedling dry weight, and vigor index-II (germination percentage × seedling dry weight) of stored seeds. Both seed lots achieved significantly higher germination percentage at 0.155 M KNO3, compared to unprimed controls and hydro-primed seeds. However, hydro-priming showed an advantage over unprimed seeds and osmo-primed seeds in most of the traits studied. Generally, the present study has shown that seed priming (hydro- and osmotic priming) has the potential to improve seed germination and vigor traits in wooly pod vetch.    Key words: Wooly pod vetch, ambient storage, osmo-priming, hydro-priming.