effect of seed priming on seedling growth of sesame (sesamum indicam l.) under salinity stress

a pot experiment laid out in factorial arranged in completely randomized design with three replications was implemented to evaluate the effects of seed priming in ameliorating salinity stress in sesame (sesamum indicam l.) during seedling development and the early vegetative growth. factors included five priming treatments : control (non priming) , hydropriming, halopriming with nacl, kcl , cacl2 + 2h2o and five levels of salt stress : zero, 4, 8, 12, 16 ds/m. results showed that the effects of seed priming and salt stress on emergence percentage , time taken to 50% emergence of seedling (e50) , root and shoot length , root to shoot length ratio , dry weight of root and shoot , dry weight of leaf , leaf number and area were significant (p<0.01). as salinity level increased, all measured variables decreased, except root to shoot length ratio. all priming treatments were effective in decreasing salt stress effects. however, the highest emergence percentage and the shortest time to 50% emergence of seedling were obtained from hydropriming. halopriming with cacl2+2h2o was the most effective on main vegetative growth parameters like length and biomass of seedling. the results suggest that seed priming could be a good technique to increase salt tolerance in sesame.