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WHEAT SEED INVIGORATION BY PRE-SOWING CHILLING TREATMENTS

M. BISMILLAH KHAN^{1, *}, MADIHA GHURCHANI¹, MUBSHAR HUSSAIN¹ AND KHALID MAHMOOD^{1, 2}

Abstract: This study was conducted to explore the potential of pre-sowing chilling treatments to improve the germination, seedling emergence, early seedling growth, electrolyte leakage and ion uptake in wheat seedlings. The wheat seeds were incubated at -19°C for 24, 48 and 96 h; untreated dry seeds were taken as control. Chilling treatment for 96 h reduced the mean germination time (MGT), mean emergence time (MET) and increased FGP compared with control and chilling for 24 h. GI, EI and FEP were not significantly affected by chilling treatments. Chilling treatment with 24 and 96 h increased the plumule length, root length, shoot length, number of secondary roots, root dry weight and shoot dry weight as compared with control. Regarding biochemical attributes, seedling potassium contents were decreased while total soluble sugars were increased in wheat seedlings by chilling treatments particularly by chilling for 96 h. Phosphorous contents in the wheat seedling remained unaffected by chilling treatments. Chilling for 96 h showed maximum electrical conductivity than other treatments including control at 1, 2, 6 and 12 h after imbibition. While, minimum electrical conductivity of seed leachates was recorded in 24 h chilling. Pre-sowing chilling treatment for 24 h may be opted for wheat seed invigoration.

¹University College of Agriculture, BZ University, Multan, Pakistan.

²Institute of Tropical and Sub-tropical Ecology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, P.R. China.