Seed Priming to Improve Seedling Growth of Pepper Cultivars Exposed to Salt Concentrations

ABSTRACT

Excess salt in the environment can limit growth and production of Capsicum annuum L., which is adversely affected by salinity beyond 3 electrical conductivity (EC). Seed priming is an effective tool to improve salt tolerance of numerous crops. Seed priming of the pepper cvs. Beldi, Baklouti, and Anaheim Chilli were used to enhance salinity tolerance during early seedling growth. Seed were primed with the osmotic solutions KCl (10 mM, 36 h) for ‘Beldi’; CaCl₂ (10 mM, 36 h) for ‘Baklouti’, and NaCl (50 mM, 24 h) for ‘Anaheim Chilli’. Seed were subjected to salinity levels of 0 (control), 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 g·L⁻¹ of NaCl. Germination and seedling growth were measured. Salinity level affected plant biomass, number of leaves per plant, plant and root length, leaf area, and carotenoid content. The biosynthesis of soluble sugar, polyphenols, and soluble protein content was increased in response to increased salt concentration. Seedlings developed from primed seed had improved biomass, water content, carotenoid content, soluble sugar, polyphenols, and soluble proteins at salt concentrations of 6 g·L⁻¹. Seed priming for pepper could be used to improve germination and growth when exposed to some concentration of salt.

KEYWORDS:

• Capsicum annuum
• polyphenol
• soluble sugars
• salinity
• biochemical attributes