Seed priming alleviates salt stress in two fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum l.) Cultivars

Salinity is globally considered a widespread problem of the irrigated soils in arid and semi-arid areas. To minimize the negative effect of salinity seed priming technique is proved as a useful by improve germination and seedling growth. Therefore, the current study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different priming techniques on fenugreek under saline conditions. The priming treatments were potassium nitrate (KNO3), polyethylene glycol (PEG), gibberellic acid (GA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), salicylic acid (SA) and distilled water (D/W). Two fenugreek cultivars i.e. Kasuri methi and Local methi were evaluated under two salinity levels viz. 0 mM and 100 mM. In Kasuri methi (V1), priming with GA3 and PEG enhanced germination index (37.52%) and energy of emergence (98.33%) as compared with other treatments. Final emergence percentage (100%) was increased in control plants of both cultivars when treated with SA. Morphological characteristics such as number of leaves (57.50), number of branches (19.16), shoot length (18.03cm), root length (8.98cm), plant fresh (2.34g) and dry biomass (1.21g) was increased in control plants of Kasuri methi (V1) when primed with SA. Leaf chlorophyll "a" (1.06 mg/g) and chlorophyll "b" (1.30 mg/g) was significantly increased in control plants of Local methi (V2) primed with SA. Antioxidant activity, antioxidant capacity and proline contents in leaves as well as in roots were also increased when treated with SA under salt stress. It is concluded that seeds of Kasuri methi should be treated with SA in order to reduce the effect of salinity and improve the germination, morphological and biochemical characteristics.