Full Length Research Paper

Improving germination, seedling establishment and biochemical characters of aged hybrid rice seed by priming with KNO₃ + PVA

Shi-yang Zhu^1,2, De-lin Hong ¹*, Jin Yao¹, Xiao-ling Zhang², Tian-kuan Luo²

¹State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.

²Key Laboratory of Crop Breeding in South Zhejiang, Wenzhou Vocational College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325006, China.

*Corresponding author.  E-mail: delinhong@njau.edu.cn . Tel: +86 25 84396626, Fax: +86 25 84396626.

Accepted 19 November, 2009

   Abstract

Using naturally aged F₁ seed and artificially aged F₁ seed of hybrid rice cultivar “Shan-you 63” as materials, 20 traits (10 traits measured in laboratory and 10 traits measured in paddy field) were compared between primed seed and corresponding control (non-primed seed). Results showed that germination percentage increased by 11.7% for naturally aged F₁ seed after primed with 0.5% PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) + 1.0% KNO₃ and by 10.3% for artificially aged F₁ seed after treated with 1.0% PVA+ 1.0%KNO₃. Germination energy and vigor index of primed seeds were significantly enhanced. Activities of SOD, POD and CAT of primed seeds were significantly increased. Content of MDA and soluble sugar in seed leakage of primed seeds were significantly decreased. Compared with corresponding non-primed seeds, seedling establishment rate, seedling height and seedling weight significantly increased, and mean emergence time shortened obviously on-farm in 2006 and in 2007 in primed seeds. Under transplanting condition, there was no significant difference between primed seed and non-primed seed in plant height, panicle number per plant, panicle length, panicle weight and grain yield.

Key words: Hybrid rice, aged seed, priming technology, germination, seedling establishment, biochemical property, yield related traits.