Canola seed germination and seedling growth in response to saline condition and bio-priming. Hojjat Ataei Somagh1 * Seyyed Mehdi Mousavi1, Heshmat Omidi1, Elnaz Mohammadian2 and Milad Hemmati5

Seed priming, as a low-cost method, is a technique commonly used to increase germination percentage especially under unfavorable conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of bio-priming on the germination of canola (Brassica napus L.) seeds under saline (NaCl) conditions. Seeds of canola var. Hyola 401 were inoculated with plant growth-promoting microorganism (PGPM) including bacterium Bacillus subtilis strain Ham and fungus Trichoderma harzianum strain bp4. The primed seeds were subsequently exposed to four levels of salinity (0, 5, 7.5, and 10 dS.m-1). Results showed that application of priming with PGPM significantly improved the percentage of seed germination, root length and seedling vigor index under saline conditions. Results of this study may provide useful information concerning reduction of undesirable effects due to salinity on canola seed germination which leads to increase of the rate of deployment of canola in areas that are facing salinity of soil or irrigation water.