Effect of Stimulating Maize Seeds with Potassium Nitrate and Licorice Extract on the Seed Viability and Vigor

Abstract

Germination and field emergence are delayed and their duration is prolonged due to the declining soil temperature during the spring season, which is reflected in the subsequent stages of crop growth, therefore, this study aimed to improve germination. Under a wide range of environmental conditions, a laboratory factorial experiment was carried out to study the effect of seed stimulation with potassium nitrate (distilled water only (0), 2, 4, and 6 mg L-1) and with an aqueous extract of licorice roots (distilled water only (0), 3, 6, and 9 g L-1) on the seed viability and vigor. The laboratory experiment was carried out according to the Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four repetitions. The results showed the superiority of the interaction treatment between the two concentrations 6 gm L-1 and 6 mg L-1 for each of licorice root extract and potassium nitrate by giving the highest average of the final germination 99%, the seedling vigor index reached 3846, the germination percentage at accelerating age test of 75%, and the germination percentage at the cold test of 76%. We can conclude that there was a response to soaking the seeds in licorice root extract at specific concentrations, with a clear response to potassium nitrate, and the response could be better when soaking in potassium nitrate at concentrations higher than 6 mg L-1. We also recommend that the soaking duration in any of the two factors is 18 hours to improve germination under a wide range of environmental conditions.

Sustainable approach for seed stimulating and sowing date to enhance field emergence and growth of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench)

“…Seeds are primed by soaking them in natural or manufactured solutions to tolerate stress, increase germination rate, field emergence rate, improve seedling competitiveness, uniformity of seedling emergence and growth, and harvest the crop at the same time [16,17,18,19]. Germination and seedling growth indicators can be improved in a wide range of environmental conditions when seeds are soaked in licorice extract, potassium nitrate, or both, in addition to using licorice extract as an alternative to gibberellin to stimulate germination [20].…”

Effect of potassium nitrate, licorice extract and planting date on field emergence and growth of maize (Zea mays L.) in spring season

“…Seed vitality, vigor, and its enzymatic system correlated to metabolic processes affect seed germination and emergence [1]; furthermore, temperatures, relative humidity, and photoperiod duration affect the various stages of growth and the accompanied phenotypic and functional changes [2]. Germination and field emergence are delayed and prolonged due to decrease in soil temperature during the spring, which affects the subsequent stages of crop growth [3], that is related to the appropriate time for planting, which reflects positively on plant differentiation and growth [4,5]. Late planting encourages flowering and early maturation due to the short photoperiod compared to early IOP Publishing doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1325/1/012011 2 planting in which the photoperiod did not reach the critical threshold that encourages flowering [6].…”

“…Stimulating seeds improved their performance in salt stress tolerance compared to unstimulated seeds [22] and increased plant height, leaf area, and leaf chlorophyll content [23]. The seeds took a positive path affected by the natural extracts and their concentrations, which enhances the possibility of their use as an alternative to nutrients and other growth regulators for increasing the seed vitality and vigor through soaking them [3,24]. Stimulating seeds accelerates physiological ripening [25], as plants resulting from pre-sowing stimulated seeds are characterized by early and uniform emergence of seedlings, as well as earlier flowering and maturation under a wide range of environmental conditions [26,27].…”

“…Stimulating seeds with licorice extract reduced the number of days to reach physiological maturity [30]. The seeds were soaked in natural, water-extracted materials such as licorice extract because it contains nutrients and other effective substances (Glycyrrhiza or licorice), including many saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, and esters, involving Pentadecanoic acid, Tridecanoic acid, and trans-13-Octadecenoic acid, methyl ester, Z-10-Tetradecen-1-ol acetate, Hexadecanoic acid, and Oleic Acid; phenols such as 4H-Pyran-4-one,2,3-dihydro-3,5-di-hydroxy-6-methyl; steroids including gamma-Sitosterol; and beta-Sitosterol and other substances [3]. It contains many compounds whose action is similar to plant growth regulators and a wide range of minerals, amino acids, vitamins, and carbohydrates, as well as Glycyrrhizin and its acid, which are the two most important components in it and perform an action similar to steroid hormones that increase protein synthesis and thus increase the growth rate; thus, licorice extract contributes to improving plant growth and plant vegetative and flowering traits and productivity [31,32].…”

“…It accelerates emergence earlier depending on the concentration used in the soaking treatment and the role of nitrogen essential for plant growth [33,34]. Germination and seedling growth parameters can be improved in various environmental conditions when seeds are soaked in potassium nitrate at a concentration of 6 mg L -1 or higher [3]. Seeds soaking in potassium nitrate reduced the number of days to tasseling, silking and full maturity [35] and increased plant dry weight [36].…”