Abstract:
The study was conducted under the laboratory condition of the Department of
Agronomy, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka from March to April, 2018
to evaluate the effect of pre-sowing seed treatment with Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) on
germination behavior and water relation behavior of soybean in relation to drought
tolerance and to optimize priming time. In the 1
st
experiment, seeds of BARI soybean
5 and BARI soybean 6 were primed with distilled water, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% PEG
solution. Results revealed that BARI soybean 6 showed better performance than BARI
soybean 5 in case of germination, seedling growth and water relation behavior of
soybean except water saturation deficit (WSD) at 10% PEG. BARI soybean 6 showed
GP (85.56%), root and shoot length (67.55 mm and 40.12 mm respectively), root and
shoot dry weight (83.28 mg and 7.78 mg respectively), Relative Water Content (82%),
Water Retention Capacity (7.61), Coefficient of Germination (19.79%) and Vigor index
(84.81). In the 2
nd
experiment, BARI soybean seeds were soaked with 10% PEG and
distill water for different priming time viz. 3,6.9.12,15 and 18hr. Osmopriming (10%
PEG) showed better performance than hydropriming when seeds were soaked for 6 hrs
in case of all parameters except WSD. In the 3
rd
experiment, osmoprimed and
hydroprimed seeds were placed under drought stress condition induced by 0%, 5%,
10%, 15% and 20% PEG. Osmopriming showed better result over hydropriming under
low to moderate stress condition and this value decreased with increasing stress
condition in relation to all parameters except WSD. Drought tolerance capability
increased in osmopriming over hydropriming in case of GP (7.41%), RWC (8.96%),
CG (26.05%) and VI (26.32%) under 10% PEG stress. From this study it can be
concluded that when BARI soybean 6 primed with 10% PEG for 6 hr showed better
performance and stress tolerance than hydroprimed with distill water. These results
suggest that seed priming had significant effect to boost up the germination, seedling
growth and water relation behavior of soybean.
Description:
A Thesis
Submitted to the Department of Agronomy,
Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka
In partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree
of
MASTER OF SCIENCE
IN
AGRONOMY
SEMESTER: JANUARY - JUNE, 2018