Effects of priming on quality of sugar beet seed

Seeds to be primed, should be placed in a such a condition that metabolic activity for germination initiate but germination process do not complete and radical get visible. This can be achieved by controlling temperature, moisture and time. In this study, to quantify the priming effects, an Iranian sugar beet monogerm hybrid seed was used. Based on initial proposal, seed was primed in aquatic condition. Treatments were composed of three varieties, two seed state (washed and un_washed) two temperature, two osmotic pressure and three priming periods. Results showed that germination percentage of all primed treatments were lower than the control treatment. Results also showed that with increasing temperature and priming periods germination decrease. Due to getting gloomy results, and to get the goals of proposals sugar beet monogerm hybrid seed was primed in solid state by using wood trash . The treatments were composed of two seed size (3-3/5, and 3/5-4/5) two seed state (washed and un_washed) two temperature (10 and 20oC), three wood trash moisture content (33,66 and 99 percent of weight) and five priming periods (1,2,3,4, and 6 days). In addition, two seed lots (washed and un_washed) that were not primed used as a control. Results showed that with increasing wood trash moisture content, temperature and priming periods more seeds cap detach that may cause embryo fall down from own place. Seeds cap detaching of small seeds were much higher than seeds cap detaching of big seeds. Results also showed that washed sugar beet seed germinate in less than 24 hours when incubated in 66 percent moisture content of wood trash in 20oC. Germination speed of small seeds were much higher than germination speed of big seeds. However, the vigor (seedling emergence power in soil) of big seeds were much higher than the vigor of small seeds. This subject showed that the threshold of temperature, moisture and priming period requirements of small seed are less than bigger seed specially when seeds were washed. Results of this study pinpoint that washed small seed do not need to be primed. However, un-washed small seed is primed at 10oC, at 33 percent of moisture content for 2-3 days. On the other hand, the washed bigger seeds primed after 2-3 days when incubate at 10oC at 66 percent of moisture and when incubate at 20oC at 66 percent primed after 1-2 days.