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Showing 245 results for Type of Study: Research
Kamran Gharehbeygi Tavabea, Hamidreza Balouchi, Mohsen Movahhedi Dehnavi, Ali Moradi, Fatemeh Ebrahimi,
Volume 11, Issue 2 (3-2025)
Volume 11, Issue 2 (3-2025)
Abstract
Extended abstract
Introduction: Poor seedling vigor is one of the major challenges in agriculture, as it reduces seed germination capacity and seedling establishment, directly impacting plant establishment and yield. The use of seed priming methods with chemicals and growth regulators can serve as an effective strategy to enhance seedling vigor and improve biochemical traits and seed germination. In this study, the enhancement of sweet corn seedling vigor through priming with ellagic acid, gibberellin, and potassium nitrate was investigated under accelerated aging conditions.
Materials and Methods: A factorial experiment was conducted in the Seed Technology Laboratory of the Faculty of Agriculture at Yasouj University in 2024, based on a completely randomized design with two factors. The first factor was accelerated seed aging at two levels (aged and non-aged), and the second factor was seed priming at eight levels (no prime, hydropriming, ellagic acid at two concentrations (25 and 100 mg/l), gibberellin at two concentrations (50 and 150 mg/l), and potassium nitrate at two concentrations (15 and 60 mg/l)). Biochemical traits and seed germination characteristics were measured ultimately.
Results: The findings of this study revealed that seed deterioration significantly reduced germination characteristics, including germination percentage and rate, shoot length, root length, and seedling vigor index (length and weight). Additionally, biochemical indices such as soluble sugar content and α-amylase enzyme activity were negatively affected by aging. On the other hand, seed deterioration increased proline content, malondialdehyde levels, and peroxidase enzyme activity, indicating heightened oxidative stress under aging conditions. Priming of deterioration seeds with ellagic acid, gibberellin, and potassium nitrate positively influenced germination characteristics and biochemical indices. Specifically, concentrations of 100 mg/l ellagic acid, 150 mg/l gibberellin, and 15 mg/l potassium nitrate were the most effective pretreatments.
Conclusion: The results of this research demonstrated that pretreatment of deteriorated Basin sweet corn seeds with ellagic acid, gibberellin, and potassium nitrate significantly improved germination and biochemical indices. These treatments mitigated the negative effects of seed aging, enhancing seedling vigor and establishment. Therefore, these priming can be recommended as effective methods to improve the quality of Basin sweet corn seeds under various agricultural conditions.
Highlights:
Introduction: Poor seedling vigor is one of the major challenges in agriculture, as it reduces seed germination capacity and seedling establishment, directly impacting plant establishment and yield. The use of seed priming methods with chemicals and growth regulators can serve as an effective strategy to enhance seedling vigor and improve biochemical traits and seed germination. In this study, the enhancement of sweet corn seedling vigor through priming with ellagic acid, gibberellin, and potassium nitrate was investigated under accelerated aging conditions.
Materials and Methods: A factorial experiment was conducted in the Seed Technology Laboratory of the Faculty of Agriculture at Yasouj University in 2024, based on a completely randomized design with two factors. The first factor was accelerated seed aging at two levels (aged and non-aged), and the second factor was seed priming at eight levels (no prime, hydropriming, ellagic acid at two concentrations (25 and 100 mg/l), gibberellin at two concentrations (50 and 150 mg/l), and potassium nitrate at two concentrations (15 and 60 mg/l)). Biochemical traits and seed germination characteristics were measured ultimately.
Results: The findings of this study revealed that seed deterioration significantly reduced germination characteristics, including germination percentage and rate, shoot length, root length, and seedling vigor index (length and weight). Additionally, biochemical indices such as soluble sugar content and α-amylase enzyme activity were negatively affected by aging. On the other hand, seed deterioration increased proline content, malondialdehyde levels, and peroxidase enzyme activity, indicating heightened oxidative stress under aging conditions. Priming of deterioration seeds with ellagic acid, gibberellin, and potassium nitrate positively influenced germination characteristics and biochemical indices. Specifically, concentrations of 100 mg/l ellagic acid, 150 mg/l gibberellin, and 15 mg/l potassium nitrate were the most effective pretreatments.
Conclusion: The results of this research demonstrated that pretreatment of deteriorated Basin sweet corn seeds with ellagic acid, gibberellin, and potassium nitrate significantly improved germination and biochemical indices. These treatments mitigated the negative effects of seed aging, enhancing seedling vigor and establishment. Therefore, these priming can be recommended as effective methods to improve the quality of Basin sweet corn seeds under various agricultural conditions.
Highlights:
- Seed deterioration leads to an increase in biochemical indicators such as seed proline content, peroxidase enzyme activity, and seed malondialdehyde content.
- The vigor of Basin sweet corn seeds is improved through pretreatment with gibberellin and ellagic acid.
- The effect of priming before and after artificial deterioration on germination and seed vigor of sweet corn cultivar Basin was compared and investigated.
Abas Sasanian, Ali Bashirzadeh, Seyed Ebrahim Kamali,
Volume 11, Issue 2 (3-2025)
Volume 11, Issue 2 (3-2025)
Abstract
Extended abstract
Introduction: Rice (Oryza sativa L.), one of the world's most crucial cereals, serves as a primary nutritional source for over one-third of the global population. Compared to other grains, rice exhibits greater sensitivity to low-temperature stress. Seed priming as a biotechnological tool is a simple, practical, cost-effective, and eco-friendly approach to enhance plant stress tolerance and improve seed germination. This study investigated the germination and physiological responses of rice seeds to varying intensities and durations of electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure under cold stress conditions.
Materials and Methods: In 2024, a factorial experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design at Islamic Azad University, Astara Branch. The experiment evaluated four levels of EMF intensity (0, 50, 100, and 150 mT), two exposure durations (30 and 60 minutes), and three cold stress levels (10, 15, and 25°C) on the Hashemi rice cultivar, with three replications. Rice seeds were treated in plastic bags under the specified EMF conditions. For seedling establishment, healthy seedlings were transferred to plastic pots containing sand. After 25 days, physiological traits were measured.
Results: Analysis of variance revealed significant effects of EMF intensity, duration, cold stress, and their interactions on most traits. Cold stress significantly increased proline (1.02 µmol g⁻¹ FW) and malondialdehyde (4.40 mmol g⁻¹ FW) while reducing chlorophyll a and b. The highest germination percentage (98.9%), radicle length (69.6 mm), chlorophyll a (0.807 mg g⁻¹ FW), and chlorophyll b (0.99 mg g⁻¹ FW) were observed under 100 mT at 25°C. Additionally, the highest germination rate (0.560 day⁻¹), shoot length (58.63 mm), seedling length (130.8 mm), radicle dry weight (3.25 mg), shoot dry weight (2.21 mg), seedling dry weight (5.46 mg), length-based vigor index (13035.5), and weight-based vigor index (543.5) were recorded at 100 mT, 25°C, and 30 minutes. While cold stress reduced germination and seedling growth, EMF treatment up to 100 mT counteracted these effects across all temperature levels.
Conclusion: EMF treatment up to 100 mT significantly improved germination traits (e.g., percentage, rate) and physiological parameters (e.g., chlorophyll content) in this rice cultivar. These findings highlight the potential of EMF priming to enhance seed germination and stress resilience under cold conditions.
Highlights:
- The effect of the magnetic field was investigated on rice seed germination and physiological traits under cold stress.
- Seed priming with an intensity of 100 mT for 60 minutes under cold stress of 10°C increased proline and malondialdehyde content.
- Higher EMF intensities (up to 100 mT) significantly improved germination at 10°C.
Haniyeh Saadat, Mohammad Sedghi,
Volume 12, Issue 1 (9-2025)
Volume 12, Issue 1 (9-2025)
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of chitosan on germination indicators and the activity of antioxidant enzymes in safflower seedlings under salinity stress.
Method: The experiment was conducted using a factorial arrangement based on a completely randomized design with three replications at the University of Mohaghegh Ardabili in 2024. The experimental treatments included four salinity levels (0, 50, 100, and 150 mM NaCl) and four concentrations of chitosan (0, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.5% w/v), which were dissolved in 1% acetic acid.
Results: The results showed that salinity stress reduced the germination rate, radicle length, plumule length, seedling length, seedling fresh weight, and seedling dry weight. However, priming with different concentrations of chitosan, especially at 0.5%, improved these traits. The highest daily germination rate (0.114) was observed in the control group (distilled water priming) under 150 mM salinity. The activity of catalase and peroxidase enzymes in the control under 150 mM salinity increased by approximately 43% and 70%, respectively, compared to the 0.5% chitosan treatment under non-saline conditions. Similarly, the activity of superoxide dismutase enzyme in the 0.5% chitosan treatment under 150 mM salinity increased by about 67% compared to the control under non-saline conditions. Furthermore, the ascorbate peroxidase enzyme activity in seeds primed with 0.5% chitosan increased by 37% compared to the control (distilled water priming).
Conclusions: The results indicated that seed treatment with different concentrations of chitosan can mitigate the harmful effects of salinity on some traits of safflower seedlings and improve seedling growth. The best results were achieved when 0.5% chitosan was used under salinity conditions.
Highlights
- Safflower seed priming using 0.5% chitosan improved the germination indices of safflower seeds under salinity stress.
- Safflower seed priming with 0.5% chitosan increased the activity of the superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase enzymes.
- Priming with chitosan had a better effect on the germination indices and biochemical characteristics of safflower seeds compared to the control.
Hamid Zolghadri, Salim Farzaneh, Mohammad Ahmadi, Raouf Sayed Sharifi,
Volume 12, Issue 1 (9-2025)
Volume 12, Issue 1 (9-2025)
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of hydroprime and seed coating with humic acid, and biological compounds on the germination and emergence of the sweet corn cultivar 'Amyla'.
Method: The experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with three replications under laboratory and greenhouse conditions, and four replications under field conditions in 2018. The study was carried out at Mohaghegh Ardabili University and the experimental fields of the National Agro-Industrial Company of Moghan. The fourteen treatments consisted of seed coating with different amounts of amino acid fertilizer (2, 4, and 6 g kg-1 of seed), seaweed extract (3, 6, and 9 g kg-1 of seed), humic acid (3, 6, and 9 g kg-1 of seed), hydroprime + humic acid, hydroprime + seaweed extract, hydroprime + amino acid, hydroprime alone, and an uncoated control. A 3% carboxymethylcellulose solution was used as an adhesive for the seed coating.
Results: Seed coating with humic acid and hydroprime significantly improved the germination and emergence percentages of the 'Amyla' sweet corn seeds under laboratory, greenhouse, and field conditions. The best results were obtained with the hydroprime and humic acid (6 g kg-1) treatments, which showed the highest germination percentage (98.66%) and emergence percentage (93.33%). The germination and emergence rates also increased significantly in these treatments. Contrary to expectations, seaweed extract negatively affected the germination and emergence of the sweet corn seeds. These results indicate that using seaweed extract as a seed coating may not be suitable for all corn cultivars. The 3% carboxymethylcellulose adhesive used for coating had no adverse effect on seed germination and emergence; in some cases, it even slightly improved the results.
Conclusions: This research clearly demonstrates that coating 'Amyla' sweet corn seeds with humic acid (6 g kg-1) and hydroprime is not only a practical solution for improving germination and seedling establishment but also, as a sustainable technology, can help address challenges in modern agriculture.
Highlights
Method: The experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with three replications under laboratory and greenhouse conditions, and four replications under field conditions in 2018. The study was carried out at Mohaghegh Ardabili University and the experimental fields of the National Agro-Industrial Company of Moghan. The fourteen treatments consisted of seed coating with different amounts of amino acid fertilizer (2, 4, and 6 g kg-1 of seed), seaweed extract (3, 6, and 9 g kg-1 of seed), humic acid (3, 6, and 9 g kg-1 of seed), hydroprime + humic acid, hydroprime + seaweed extract, hydroprime + amino acid, hydroprime alone, and an uncoated control. A 3% carboxymethylcellulose solution was used as an adhesive for the seed coating.
Results: Seed coating with humic acid and hydroprime significantly improved the germination and emergence percentages of the 'Amyla' sweet corn seeds under laboratory, greenhouse, and field conditions. The best results were obtained with the hydroprime and humic acid (6 g kg-1) treatments, which showed the highest germination percentage (98.66%) and emergence percentage (93.33%). The germination and emergence rates also increased significantly in these treatments. Contrary to expectations, seaweed extract negatively affected the germination and emergence of the sweet corn seeds. These results indicate that using seaweed extract as a seed coating may not be suitable for all corn cultivars. The 3% carboxymethylcellulose adhesive used for coating had no adverse effect on seed germination and emergence; in some cases, it even slightly improved the results.
Conclusions: This research clearly demonstrates that coating 'Amyla' sweet corn seeds with humic acid (6 g kg-1) and hydroprime is not only a practical solution for improving germination and seedling establishment but also, as a sustainable technology, can help address challenges in modern agriculture.
Highlights
- The effects of hydropriming and seed coating with humic acid, amino acid fertilizer, and seaweed extract on germination and emergence of 'Amyla' sweet corn cultivar were evaluated.
- The combination of hydropriming and humic acid coating (6 g kg⁻¹) was an optimal strategy for enhancing germination and seedling establishment of 'Amyla' sweet corn cultivar.
Ali Shayanfar, Bita Oskouei,
Volume 12, Issue 1 (9-2025)
Volume 12, Issue 1 (9-2025)
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to simulate the effects of thermal shocks from crop residue burning and soil temperatures on the germination and dormancy of flixweed (Descurainia sophia) seeds under laboratory conditions.
Method: A factorial experiment was conducted based on a completely randomized design with four replications. Heat shock treatments were applied to flixweed seeds at 80°C and 120°C for durations of 2.5 and 7.5 minutes. Subsequently, the treated seeds were incubated for 14 days under constant temperatures of 7, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35°C, as well as under an alternating temperature regime of 20/30°C (16h/8h). Various seed germination and dormancy indices were then recorded and analyzed.
Results: The optimum temperature for flixweed seed germination was 7°C. Increasing the germination temperature to 35°C significantly reduced both the germination percentage and rate, while significantly increasing the percentages of dead and dormant seeds. Compared to constant temperatures above 7°C, alternating temperature treatments combined with light exposure enhanced the germination rate and percentage and decreased seed dormancy. Both elevated substrate temperatures and heat shock treatments increased the percentage of dead seeds, particularly at 30 and 35°C under the 120°C heat shock treatment. The highest percentage of normal seedlings was observed at 7°C and under the 20/30°C alternating temperature regime. Applying an 80°C heat shock for 2.5 minutes improved both the germination percentage and rate, and reduced secondary dormancy compared to the control at the same incubation temperature. In contrast, heat shocks at higher temperatures (120°C) led to increased seed mortality and reduced both germination and dormancy.
Conclusions: Heat shock treatments did not induce secondary dormancy (thermo-dormancy) in flixweed seeds; instead, they primarily influenced the germination percentage, germination rate, and seed mortality. The induction of secondary dormancy in flixweed seeds was observed only as a result of elevated substrate temperatures above 7°C. Thermo-dormancy caused by exposure to higher temperatures can be mitigated through alternating temperature treatments combined with light, thereby enhancing both the germination percentage and rate.
Highlights
Method: A factorial experiment was conducted based on a completely randomized design with four replications. Heat shock treatments were applied to flixweed seeds at 80°C and 120°C for durations of 2.5 and 7.5 minutes. Subsequently, the treated seeds were incubated for 14 days under constant temperatures of 7, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35°C, as well as under an alternating temperature regime of 20/30°C (16h/8h). Various seed germination and dormancy indices were then recorded and analyzed.
Results: The optimum temperature for flixweed seed germination was 7°C. Increasing the germination temperature to 35°C significantly reduced both the germination percentage and rate, while significantly increasing the percentages of dead and dormant seeds. Compared to constant temperatures above 7°C, alternating temperature treatments combined with light exposure enhanced the germination rate and percentage and decreased seed dormancy. Both elevated substrate temperatures and heat shock treatments increased the percentage of dead seeds, particularly at 30 and 35°C under the 120°C heat shock treatment. The highest percentage of normal seedlings was observed at 7°C and under the 20/30°C alternating temperature regime. Applying an 80°C heat shock for 2.5 minutes improved both the germination percentage and rate, and reduced secondary dormancy compared to the control at the same incubation temperature. In contrast, heat shocks at higher temperatures (120°C) led to increased seed mortality and reduced both germination and dormancy.
Conclusions: Heat shock treatments did not induce secondary dormancy (thermo-dormancy) in flixweed seeds; instead, they primarily influenced the germination percentage, germination rate, and seed mortality. The induction of secondary dormancy in flixweed seeds was observed only as a result of elevated substrate temperatures above 7°C. Thermo-dormancy caused by exposure to higher temperatures can be mitigated through alternating temperature treatments combined with light, thereby enhancing both the germination percentage and rate.
Highlights
- The response of the flixweed soil seed bank to crop residue burning was simulated under laboratory conditions.
- Secondary dormancy induction in flixweed seeds was assessed in response to both heat shock and incubation temperature treatments.
- Thermo-dormancy in flixweed seeds was induced exclusively by elevated substrate temperature, not by heat shock treatments.
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Site Keywords
Seed Science and Technology, Seed Physiology, Seed Ecology, Modeling, Seed Health, Germination Characteristics, Seed Dormancy, Seed Ageing, Seed Storage, Seed PrimingVote
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