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Pak. J. Bot., 48(4): 1345-1352, 2016.

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SEED PRIMING WITH MELATONIN EFFECTS ON SEED GERMINATION AND SEEDLING GROWTH IN MAIZE UNDER SALINITY STRESS

XUWEN JIANG^1,2, HEQIN LI^1* AND XIYUN SONG²

¹Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Dryland Technology, College of Agronomy and Plant Protection, Qingdao Agricultural University, No. 700 Changcheng Road, Chengyang District, Qingdao, Shandong 266109, China

²Qingdao Key Lab of Germplasm Innovation and Application of Major Crops,

 Qingdao Agricultural University, 26610, China

^∗Corresponding author e-mail: hqliaau@163.com; Tel: +86-532-86080447; Fax: +86-532-86080447

Abstract

The effects on seed germination and seedling growth in maize under salinity stress by seed priming with melatonin were investigated. Seeds of maize cultivar Nonghua101 were soaked in 0.4, 0.8 and 1.6 mM aerated solution of melatonin for 24 h, and primed seeds were germinated under the condition of 150 mM NaCl with paper media. The results showed seed priming with 0.8 mM melatonin was the best performance of all the treatments to seed germination and seedling growth in maize under salinity stress. Then primed with 0.8 mM melatonin or water for 24 h and unprimed seeds were germination under the condition of 150 mM NaCl with sand media. The results showed seed priming with 0.8 mM melatonin significantly improved germination energy, germination percentage, seedling vigor index, shoot and root lengths, seedling fresh and dry weights, K⁺ content, relative water content, proline and total phenolic contents, superoxide dismutase, catalase and phenylalanin ammonia lyase activities; and significantly decreased mean emergence time, Na⁺ content, electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde content compared with untreated seeds under salinity stress. These results suggest that seed priming with melatonin alleviates the salinity damage to maize and seed priming with melatonin may be an important alternative approach to decrease the impact of salinity stress in maize.

Keywords: Seed priming, Salinity stress, Melatonin, Maize