Abstract:
The effects of polyamine
priming on the germination behaviour of
fennel at low temperatures were
investigated. For preparing the putrescine
pretreatments, seeds were divided into four
parts. Two samples primed into putrescine
(10 or 20 ppm) for 24 h, other samples were
as controls. In order to eliminate the effect
of water from test results, seeds were soaked
in water only. After the priming, seeds were
dried and used for germination test at 10 and
20 ºC. Except for seedling dry weight, all of
the priming treatments improved
germination performance and seedling
growth of fennel seeds. Maximum
germination percentage was achieved by 10
ppm Put application and lower value was
observed in control seeds. About the energy
of germination and mean germination time,
polyamine treatments had better effect than
hydropriming, but similar results was
observed from seeds treated by 10 ppm Put
and hydroprime on root and shoot length.
Results showed that adequate presence of
Put in the priming media had better than
priming with water only. However, high
concentrations of Put had not significant
effect as well as 10 ppm Put. These results
indicated that 10 ppm Put priming could be
as an effective method to improve low
temperature tolerance of fennel seeds.