The Pharma Innovation Journal 2018; 7(8): 411-414

ISSN (E): 2277- 7695

ISSN (P): 2349-8242
NAAS Rating: 5.03 Effect of seed priming with inorganics on growth, yield
TPI 2018; 7(8): 411-414
© 2018 TPI and physiological parameters of chickpea (Cicer
www.thepharmajournal.com
Received: 10-06-2018 arietinum L.) under drought
Accepted: 12-07-2018

Bethala Kumeera Bethala Kumeera, Swapnil Matikhaye, AK Chaurasia and PW Ramteke

M. Sc (Ag) Crop Physiology, Sam
Higginbottom Institute of
Agriculture, Technology and Abstract
Sciences, Allahabad, Uttar A field experiment was conducted in the Department of Biological Sciences at SHUATS Allahabad,
Pradesh, India during Rabi session 2017-2018 to study the “Effect of seed priming with inorganics on growth, yield and
physiological parameters of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Under drought”. The chickpea var. pusa-362
Swapnil Matikhaye was imposed with seven inorganic seed priming treatments viz., 2% KNO3, 2% NaCl2, 2% CaCl2, 2%
Student, M. Sc (Ag) Crop KH2PO4, 2% KCl, water soaked for 8 Hours, and control. The treated seeds along with control were
Physiology, Sam Higginbottom evaluated for their morpho-physiological, growth, yield, root parameters and biochemical parameters
Institute of Agriculture,
under laboratory and field conditions. The study revealed that seeds priming techniques with CaCl2 @
Technology and Sciences,
2% recorded highest in plant height (cm), seed yield (g), no. of pods/plant and root parameters of
Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
nodules/plant and other biochemical parameters. The increased seed yield in seed priming with CaCl2-
AK Chaurasia 2% attributed to increase in the total chlorophyll, chl-a. and chl-b, total chlorophyll content, proline
Associate professor, Department content, relative water content, protein content as compare to control. The treatments of 2% CaCl2
of Genetics & Plant Breeding, followed by 2% KNO3 were found to be superior for most physiological parameters. Thus this study
Sam Higginbottom Institute of indicates that seed priming with inorganics modifies the physiological and biochemical nature of seeds so
Agriculture, Technology and as to get the characters that are favorable for drought tolerance which more with CaCl2-2% as compared
Sciences, Allahabad, Uttar to other treatments.
Pradesh, India
Keywords: Seed priming, CaCl2-2%, chickpea, Drought, protein, relative water content, chlorophyll
PW Ramteke
Dean, Department of Biological
Sciences, Sam Higginbottom 1. Introduction
Institute of Agriculture, Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important source of protein generally ranges between 20
Technology and Sciences, and 22 %, while a wide range of variation from 12 to 30 % exists in chickpea germplasm
Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India (Jadhav et al., 2015) [12]. The chromosome number of chickpea consists of 2n=16 and self-
pollinated major rabi season important pulse crop grown in India, on about 12 million ha of
land from temperate to sub-tropical regions of the world. There are two distinct types in
chickpea, desi and kabuli. The desi types have thick and coloured (mostly brown) seed coat,
while the kabuli types have thin and cream-coloured seed coat (Rizivi et al., 2014) [20].
Chickpea is the third most important pulse crop and is grown on about 12 million ha of land
from temperate to sub- tropical regions of the world, with some 72% of world production from
South Asian countries (Foyer et al., 2016) [6].
However, chickpea in drought stress was imposed during the pre-anthesis phase and reduced
the chlorophyll and percentage of seed storage protein, plant height, number of pods, where
increased the level of total phenolic content and anti-oxidants like proline, SOD, APX, MDA
(Patel et al., 2015) [19]. Drought is one of the major abiotic stresses in the world. Water stress
from anthesis to maturity affects numerous morphological and physiological activities of plant
resulting extensively reduces in crop yield and productivity (Hallajian 2016) [8].
Seed priming, a promising technique has been successfully employed to overcome the problem
associated with poor germination, dormancy and subsequent erratic crop stand under normal
and stressful conditions, and increases crop vigor, nutritional value, grain and biological yield
(Jafar et al., 2012) [13]. The commonly used priming agents are CaCl2 (calcium chloride),
KNO3 (potassium nitrate), NaCl (sodium chloride), KH2PO4 (potassium phosphate), KCl
Correspondence (potassium chloride), PEG (polyethanol glycol). These are inorganic in nature used for
Bethala Kumeera priming methods to break seed dormancy, for uniform germination, vigorous growth and
M. Sc (Ag) Crop Physiology, Sam alleviates the negative effects of drought stress on emergence. Currently available priming
Higginbottom Institute of
Agriculture, Technology and
methods vary in the technique of water application and include: hydro priming (seeds are
Sciences, Allahabad, Uttar soaked in pre-determined amount of water or imbibition periods are limited), osmopriming
Pradesh, India (seeds are soaked in osmotic solutions e.g., polyethylene glycol, mannitol, sorbitol, glycerol or
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in salt solutions), matrix priming (seeds are mixed with water levels, but there would be an increment even under
organic or inorganic solid materials) and drum-priming (seeds stress conditions, if the seeds were prior treated with
are rotated in drum and water is added gradually as water inoragnics there would be a breakage in dormancy levels
vapour) (Jisha et al., 2013) [14] Chengbin et al., (2013) [4] and recorded the highest significant
values among all the treatments chl-a (2.50 mg/g), chl-b (2.50
Materials and Methods mg/g), total chl- (2.25 mg/g). Proline content (Wellburn 1983)
[22]
A field and lab experiments were carried out during rabi was found highest in the treatment T4-CaCl2 @ 2% (0.36
season of 2017-2018 to study Effect of seed priming with µg/g) even under water deficit conditions compared to non-
inorganics on growth, yield and physiological parameters of treated, due to the alternate presoaking and sowing of seeds
chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under drought. The details of with inorganics gave the best results to withstand under
materials used and techniques adopted in the present drought (Hossam et al., 2017) [10]. Protein content (Lowry et
investigation are described below. This trails were laid out in al., 1950) in chickpea under unfavorable conditions was
RBD with three replications of chickpea var. 362 (desi type) analyzed significant and recorded highest in T4-CaCl2 @ 2%
source – IARI, with seven treatments consists of T0- control, (19.08 %) due to priming techniques involved and could be
T1- hydration for 8 hrs in water, T2- hydration with KNO3 able to tolerate stress conditions.
(2%), T3- hydration with NaCl (2%), T4- hydration CaCl2
(2%), with T5- hydration with KH2PO4 (2%), T6- hydration Root parameters
with KCl (2%) and these data were statistically analyzed As this chickpea is rich in legumes can establish symbiosis
using ‘ANOVA’ (Fisher 1950) [5]. with rhizobia bacteria and from nodules where the bacteria
The observations recorded under morpho-physiological reduces the atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia. Number of
parameters were plant height (cm), no. of primary and nodules/ plant was highest in CaCl2 @ (2%) –T4 consisting
secondary branches, relative water content (%). Biochemical of (15.00) presented in (table 2). This nodule fresh weight
parameters were chl a, chl b, total chl content (mg/g), proline (1.30 gm) and dried at autoclave at 121 lbs pressure for 2
(µg/g), carotenoid (µg/g), protein (%) and root parameters- hours, this was recorded as dry weight (0.9 gm) could also be
No. of nodules/ plant, nodule fresh weight, dry weight (g). noted as a high requirement in only CaCl2 @ (2%)
Growth parameters were of Crop Growth Rate (CGR) and (Muhammad et al., 2015) [17]. by this parameters we could
Relative Growth Rate (RGR) and yield parameters of no. of find the amount of legumes contained for the better growth.
pods/plant, 100 seed weight (g), no. of seeds/ plant, harvest
index (%) and seed yield/ plant (g). Yield parameters
Seed priming has the positive influence on yield parameters
Results and Discussion listed below (Table 3) such as no. of pods/plant as it was
Morpho-physiological parameters observed that the best result was with CaCl2 @ 2% among all
Seeds primed with inoragnics have the better capability to the priming treatments (58.16) (Bakht et al., 2011). However,
cope up with stress conditions compared to the control ones. interestingly we found that 100 seed weight (76.88 gm)
In chickpea, Plant height was observed in three different (Hossein et al., 2013) [11], no. of seeds/plant (79.83) and
stages, (Table 1) at 40 DAS, 70 DAS and 100 DAS reached harvest index (57.80 %) (Abebe et al., 2016) [1]. Seed yield
maximum height in T4-CaCl2 @ 2% (39.00 cm), (41.00 cm), was observed to be the highest in T4- CaCl2 @ 2% compared
(61.20 cm) (Mohammad et al., 2013) [16]. Number of primary to non-primed seeds. This seed presoaking sowing process
branches at 40 DAS, 70 DAS and 100 DAS reached elevates the negative effect of drought and makes active in
maximum in T4-CaCl2 @ 2% (4.00), (8.00), (12.00) while metabolic process (Murad et al., 2016) [18]; (Mohammad et
the secondary branches are protruded even under drought al., 2013) [16].
from the main stems as compared to the non-primed seeds.
The maximum recorded significant value was interestingly Conclusion
recorded highest in the same plot treated with CaCl2 @ 2% - Based on present study, it was concluded that drought stress
T4 (7.00) at 40 DAS; (15.00) at 70 DAS; (30.00) at 100 DAS was deleterious to chickpea growth and yield. Seed hardening
(Galahitigama et al., 2016) [7]. As the stomata was having low with CaCl2 @ 2% (T4) was found to induce higher
water potential, relative water content (Weatherley. 1962) [21] physiological and metabolic activities and increased chickpea
was effected during drought. In order to overcome this plants and yield as compared with the other treatments and
severity, seeds were prior treated well with inoraganics. Plants control. This could have the utility against different stresses
raised from the priming treated seeds with inorganics resulted and offered as a solution to the problem faced with drought
best performance, early and vigorous growth compared to the stress and preferably could help economically for the resource
unprimed ones (Haseen et al., 2017) [9]. poor farmers for best quality, and quantity yield under adverse
conditions.
Biochemical parameters
Biochemical parameters such as chlorophyll ‘a’, chlorophyll Acknowledgment
‘b’, total chlorophyll content and carotenoid content (Bates et We would be thank full to the Department of Biologicsl
al., 1973) [3] (Table 2) was maximum in T4-CaCl2 @ 2% Sciences, SHUATS for the support and cooperation to
(0.44 µg/g). At the time of flowering stage, these parameters complete this this project successfully.
were sustainably decreased due to the effect of deficiency of

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Table 1: Mean performance of morphological parameters in chickpea due to the effect of seed priming with inoragnics under drought
Plant height (cm) No. of primary branches No. of secondary branches
Treatments RWC (%)
40 DAS 70 DAS 100 DAS 40 DAS 70 DAS 100 DAS 40 DAS 70 DAS 100 DAS
T0 – control 18.00 37.00 40.40 1.00 4.00 7.00 2.00 8.00 13.00 9.09
T1 - H20 (2%) 22.00 40.00 45.40 2.00 5.00 8.00 2.00 9.00 15.00 10.71
T2 - KNO3 (2%) 34.00 47.00 57.00 4.00 7.00 11.00 6.00 15.00 24.00 20.83
T3 - NaCl (2%) 23.00 40.00 47.20 2.00 6.00 9.00 3.00 9.00 18.00 12.90
T4 - CaCl2 (2%) 35.00 49.00 61.20 4.00 8.00 12.00 7.00 15.00 30.00 21.30
T5-KH2PO4 (2%) 24.00 46.00 52.00 3.00 7.00 10.00 5.00 12.00 23.00 16.66
T6 - KCl (2%) 24.00 42.00 49.20 3.00 6.00 10.00 4.00 10.00 22.00 14.28
Mean 25.71 43 50.34 2.71 6.14 9.57 4.14 11.14 20.71 15.11
F-test S S S S S S S S S S
S.Em± 2.22 5.12 2.54 2.22 1.85 2.22 3.02 4.27 7.07 4.19
CD @ 5% 1.39 3.22 1.60 1.39 1.16 1.39 1.90 2.68 4.45 2.64

Table 2: Mean performance of physiological and root parameters in chickpea due to the effect of seed priming with inorganics under drought
Total
Chlorophyll Chlorophyll Pro line Carotenoid Protein No. of Nodule fresh Nodule dry
Treatments chlorophyll
‘a’ (mg/g) ‘b’ (mg/g) (µg/g) (µg/g) (%) nodules/plant weight (gm) weight (gm)
(mg/g)
T0 – control 0.73 0.70 0.64 0.07 0.42 17.50 5.00 0.06 0.10
T1 - H20 (2%) 1.03 0.80 0.89 0.07 0.43 17.55 6.00 0.20 0.20
T2 - KNO3 (2%) 2.26 1.92 2.00 0.22 0.43 19.02 13.00 0.90 0.70
T3 - NaCl (2%) 1.37 0.88 1.21 0.11 0.43 17.93 7.00 0.40 0.30
T4 - CaCl2 (2%) 2.50 2.50 2.25 0.36 0.44 19.08 15.00 1.30 0.9
T5 -KH2PO (2%) 1.62 1.52 1.43 0.13 0.43 18.62 10.00 0.80 0.60
T6 - KCl (2%) 1.50 1.10 1.33 0.19 0.43 18.25 9.00 0.60 0.40
Mean 1.57 1.34 1.39 0.16 0.43 18.27 9.28 0.60 0.8
F-test S S S S NS S S S S
S.Em ± 0.68 1.19 0.35 0.18 0.12 0.34 2.30 0.20 1.08
CD @ 5% 0.43 1.05 0.22 0.11 - 0.21 1.45 0.12 2.16

Table 3: Mean performance of growth and yield parameters in chickpea due to the effect of seed priming with inoraganics under drought
Crop Growth Rate Relative Growth Rate No. of 100 seed No. of Harvest Seed
Treatments
(g g -1 day -1) (g g -1 day -1) pods/plant weight (gm) seeds/plant Index (%) yield/plant(gm)
T0 –control 5.53 0.13 32.73 60.66 37.06 41.05 17.73
T1 -H20 (2%) 7.41 0.16 48.43 70.16 51.40 46.56 23.01
T2 -KNO3 (2%) 9.23 0.32 54.43 76.00 68.06 55.83 26.93
T3 -NaCl (2%) 7.7 0.19 49.00 73.13 57.59 49.95 23.76
T4 -CaCl2 (2%) 10.23 0.41 58.16 76.88 79.83 57.80 30.20
T5 -KH2PO4 (2%) 9.05 0.29 53.50 74.20 59.87 52.22 26.05
T6 -KCl (2%) 8.39 0.21 52.63 73.96 58.50 51.50 24.91
Mean 8.23 0.25 49.84 72.14 58.90 50.71 24.65
F-test S S S S S NS S
S.Em± 1.85 2.10 0.93 1.82 0.36 38.35 1.07
CD @ 5% 0.01 1.32 0.58 0.01 0.22 - 0.67

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