Biplot analysis of seed priming effects on maize seedling growth traits

The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of different priming treatments and genotypes on maize germination and early seedling growth traits, as well as to examine the associations among these traits. In addition, the application of genotype by trait biplot methodology in this type of analysis was evaluated. Seed priming treatment was conducted on ten maize inbred lines by soaking seeds in water (hydropriming) or in 0.5% KNO3 solution. Seed was sown in sterile moistened sand and placed at suboptimal (15°C) and optimal temperature (25°C) for seven days. After that, seedling length and seedling weight were measured, final germination, time to 50% emergence and vigour index were calculated. The results showed that seed priming can improve seedling growth traits at both temperatures. There are differences in genotype responses to various seed priming solutions. The observed differences represent useful information for the selection of adapted maize inbred line and adjustment of priming treatment for sowing in different temperature conditions. This study showed that biplot could easily be used for assessing the effect of seed priming, or some other treatment, on seedling growth traits. Moreover, it can be used to understand the associations among the seedling growth traits. Cilj ovog ispitivanja bilo je utvrđivanje uticaja prajming tretmana i genotipa na klijanje i rani porast ponika kukuruza, kao i sagledavanje povezanosti ovih osobina. Takođe, analizirana je mogućnost primene GT biplot metodologije u ovom tipu ispitivanja. Prajming tretman se sastojao od potapanja semena deset inbred linija kukuruza u vodu (hidroprajming) i rastvor KNO3. Seme je zatim posejano u posude sa vlažnim sterilnom peskom i stavljeno na suboptimalnu (15°C) i optimalnu temperaturu (25°C) u trajanju od 7 dana. Nakon toga je izmerena dužina i masa ponika, utvrđena je klijavost i izračunato vreme potrebno za 50% nicanja, kao i vigor indeks. Rezultati su pokazali da početni porast ponika na obe temperature može biti poboljšan prajmingom semena. Primećena je različita reakcija linija na korišćene prajming tretmane. Ove razlike predstavljaju korisnu informaciju za izbor odgovarajuće inbred linije i pogodnog prajming tretmana za setvu u različitim temperaturnim uslovima. Ispitivanje je pokazalo da se biplot analiza može koristiti kao brz vizuelni metod za proučavanje efekta prajminga ili nekog drugog tretmana semena na različite parametre klijanja, nicanja i početnog porasta ponika. Takođe, ova analiza se može koristiti i za sagledavanje veze između ispitivanih osobina.