Efficacy of Seed Priming Technique on Seed Germination and Plant Growth Under Salt Stress in Oryza sativa

Salinity stress limits agricultural productivity by adversely affecting seed germination and seedling growth. It negatively impacts essential metabolic processes by imposing osmotic and oxidative stress due to ion toxicity. Seed priming is an innovative approach that can ensure seed germination and seedling establishment for ameliorating salinity stress in plants. In this study, response of two popular rice cultivars, PB 1121 and PB 1718 to various priming treatments was evaluated under salt stress. Out of the two, cultivar PB 1718 performed better and showed improved germination, and plant growth when given a priming treatment with Salicylic acid (1mM), KNO3 (1%), Moringa leaf extract (100%) and Neem leaf extract (50%) under salt stress of NaCl (150 mM). In cultivar PB 1121, no significant change was seen in germination indices under salt stress as compared to control. However, Salicylic acid (1mM), KNO3 (1%), Proline (50mM), Moringa leaf extract (100%), MgSO4 (10mM) and Neem leaf extract (50%) treatments resulted in improved root growth.