Effect of seed-priming methods on nodulation, nutrient uptake and quality in soybean (Glycine max) under bed-sown condition

A experiment was conducted during the rainy (kharif) seasons of 2015 and 2016 at Ludhiana, Punjab, India, to standardize the best seed-priming treatment in relation to symbiotic characters, NPK uptake by seed and straw and quality content of soybean crop [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Different methods of priming, viz. hydro-priming, halopriming and hormonal priming, compared to the control (unprimed) were evaluated by soaking seeds for 2 hr duration and at different concentrations such as T , unprimed (control); T , hydro-priming (water); T , halopriming 1 2 3 (KNO 5%); T , halopriming (KNO 10%); T , halopriming (KH PO 5%), T , halopriming (KH PO 10%); T , 3 4 3 5 2 4 6 2 4 7 halopriming (KCl 50 ppm); T , halopriming (KCl 100 ppm); T , hormonal priming (GA 50 ppm); T , hormonal prim- 8 9 3 10 ing (GA 100 ppm); T , hormonal priming (cytokinin 50 ppm); and T , hormonal priming (cytokinin 100 ppm). The 3 11 12 seeds treated with 100 ppm GA showed significant increase in root nodules/plant and root nodule dry weight than 3 control, which was statistically similar in result with 100 ppm cytokinin. Similarly, leghaemogobin content in 100 ppm GA treated seeds recorded at par response to 100 ppm cytokinin-treated seed. Nutrient uptake (N, P and K) 3 in seed and straw at harvesting were also higher with 100 ppm GA treatment. Similarly, quality parameters exhib- 3 ited relatively higher mean performance with hormonal priming of soybean seeds with 100 ppm GA . 3