The Effect of Seed Priming on Germination and Seedling Growth of Watermelon (Citrullus Lanatus)

Seed priming is a pre-sowing treatment which involves a controlled hydration of seeds, sufficient to allow pre-terminative metabolic events to take place while insufficient to allow radicle protrusion through the seed coat. This technique has been used to increase the germination rate, total germination and seedling uniformity, mainly under unfavorable environmental conditions. Little information is available about seedling development of watermelon to seed priming in field condition. To investigate the effect of seed priming on germination and seedling growth of watermelon, an experiment was conducted at Azad University of Sabzevar with factorial arrangement of treatment in a completely randomized design with 3 replications. Experimental factors were 3 watermelon cultivars (Niagara, Charleston Gray, and Crimson Sweet) and 5 priming media (HCL 0.1N, NaCl 1.5N, PEG 6000 3%, KNO 3 3%, and none primed). Priming increased watermelon emergence, emergence rate, and plumule length. No significant differences were found to exist on plumule dry weight and radicle length. Priming with PEG and NaCl negatively affected the rate and growth of emerged seedling. Among the assessed priming media, KNO3 had the most effective impact on emergence and seedling growth. Compared with the non-primed seeds, seed priming with KNO3 increased the germination, germination rate and plumule length by 17.87%, 18.65%, and 4.68%, respectively.