Assessment of different seed priming agents on germination and biomass production of hybrid maize at Rampur, Nepal

Seed priming is a crucial technique for enhancing the seedling performance. An experiment was conducted at Rampur, Chitwan, during the winter season of 2019 and 2020, to determine the effects of different seed priming agents on Rampur Hybrid 16 maize variety. The treatments included hydropriming, cow urine (10 ml/L), gibberellic acid (100 ppm), calcium chloride (20 g/L), zinc sulphate (10 g/L), potassium nitrate (10 g/L), and unprimed seeds (controls). The experiment was conducted in both field and laboratory conditions. A Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replicates and a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four replicates were used in field and laboratory conditions respectively. Seeds were soaked for 16 hours under different treatments, shade-dried, and planted. The study evaluated germination percentage, root and shoot lengths, and Seedling Vigor Index in treated seeds using the towel method, finding cow urine and GA3 seed priming treatments most effective. Similarly, in the field hydropriming, cow urine, and GA3 seed priming treatments significantly increased the number of cobs harvested, and grain production in both years. Hydropriming and cow urine treatments obtained grain yields 7.63 t/ha and 7.54 t/ha in 2019, and 8.55 t/ha and 8.31 t/ha in 2020, respectively. Hydropriming and cow urine seed priming treatments enhanced days to 80% emergence, which is practical and affordable compared to GA3.