Effects of Seed Priming on the Antioxidant Enzymes Activity of Mungbean (<I>Vigna radiata</I>) Seedlings

Abstract

In seed priming, seeds are partially hydrated to a point where germination processes commence but radical emergence does not occur. A lab experiment was conducted for assessment of antioxidant enzymes activity as affected by different seed priming treatments. The seeds were invigorated by traditional soaking (hydropriming), osmo-conditioning (soaking of seeds in aerated, low-water-potential solutions) using, potassium di-hydrogen phosphate, Mannitol, Polyethylene glycol, sodium molybdate dihydrate and hormonal priming by using salicylic acid. The ranges of osmotic potential for all the priming treatments were -0.5 to -1.2 M Pa. All the invigoration treatments significantly affected the activities of anti-oxidants i.e., Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Peroxidase (POD), Polyphenoloxidase (PPO) and Catalase (CAT) activity. Osmopriming using P @ 0.60% applied in the form of KH2PO4 significantly improved the SOD and CAT activity while T10 showed improvement in PPO. All the seed priming treatments also enhanced the seedlings vigour in terms of germination and vigour index.