Combined Effect of Hydro-priming and Seed Storage Duration on Germination, Growth, and Tolerance to Water Deficit in Maize (Zea mays L.)
Sanogo Souleymane
Laboratory of Plant Physiology Biosciences Research and Training Unit, Félix Houphouet-Boigny University (UFHB), Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire and WASCAL Center/African Center of Excellence on Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Sustainable Agriculture (WASCAL/CEA-CCBAD), Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Coulibaly Souleymane *
Life and Earth Sciences Section, Sciences and Technology Department, Normal Superior School (ENS), Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Guinagui N’Doua Bertrand
Laboratory of Plant Physiology Biosciences Research and Training Unit, Félix Houphouet-Boigny University (UFHB), Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire and WASCAL Center/African Center of Excellence on Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Sustainable Agriculture (WASCAL/CEA-CCBAD), Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Soumahoro Brahima André
Life and Earth Sciences Section, Sciences and Technology Department, Normal Superior School (ENS), Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Tuo Seydou
Laboratory of Plant Physiology Biosciences Research and Training Unit, Félix Houphouet-Boigny University (UFHB), Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire and WASCAL Center/African Center of Excellence on Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Sustainable Agriculture (WASCAL/CEA-CCBAD), Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Maize (Zea mays L.) is the world’s leading cereal crop. In Côte d’Ivoire, maize is a strategic crop for food security and rural economies. Despite its importance, this crop is highly sensitive to early water stress. In the face of climate change, which poses a major constraint on cereal production, improving plant tolerance to water deficit through environmentally sustainable techniques such as seed hydro-priming is a key challenge. Against this background, the present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of hydro-priming maize seeds in improving germination performance and seedling growth under different levels of water availability. Maize seeds underwent hydro-priming pre-treatment followed by different storage periods (0, 1, 2 and 4 weeks) and were then assessed under four water regimes corresponding to 100 per cent, 50 per cent, 25 per cent and 12.5 per cent of field capacity. A completely randomised experimental design was adopted to analyse the combined effects of pre-treatment and water stress on germination and growth parameters. Seedling performance was assessed in terms of emergence rate, germination rate, plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, collar diameter and biomass. The results showed that hydro-priming significantly improved seedling establishment compared with untreated seeds, particularly under severe water-deficit conditions. Hydro-primed seeds stored for a short period (1 to 2 weeks) performed best, with an improvement in germination rate of up to approximately 79 per cent under general conditions and values exceeding 90 per cent under certain water-deficit regimes. The treatment also promoted a significant increase in growth parameters such as biomass, leaf development and root architecture. These results demonstrated that hydro-priming is a promising agroecological strategy for enhancing maize resilience to water stress induced by climate change.
Keywords: Zea mays L., hydro-priming, seeds, germination, plant growth, seedling growth, seed vigour