Keywords
seed priming
varieties
growth characters
yield characters
How to Cite
Abstract
Field trials were conducted in 2016 rainy season at Teaching and Research Farm of Bayero
University Kano (Lat: 11o 58' N and Long: 8o 33' E) and Demonstration Farm of Lake Chad
Research Institute, Maiduguri, Borno (Lat: 11o 54' N and Long: 13o 50' E) both situated in the
Sudan Savanna ecology to study the performance of millet varieties as influenced by seed
priming substances. Treatments comprised of factorial combination of five seed primers (KCl,
CaCl2, Cow urine, Cow dung extract and control) and four millet varieties (LCICMV-1,
LCICMV-2, LCICMV-3 and LCICMV-4). The experiment was laid out in a Randomized
Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Data were collected on growth
characters (crop vigour score, root shoot ratio, leaf area) and yield characters (harvest index,
panicle weight, grain yield). The data were subjected to analysis of variance and treatments
means were separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at 5% level of probability.
Results have indicated that the growth and yield characters of the pearl millet evaluated were
significantly (P<0.05) affected at both locations. Seed priming with KCl had higher root shoot
ratio (RSR), crop vigour score (CVS), harvest index (HID), panicle weight (PWT) and grain
yield per hectare (GYH) except at Maiduguri which application of cow dung extract (CDE)
resulted in more vigorous crops. Furthermore, the varieties LCICMV-1 and LCICMV-2
recorded higher GYH at Kano and Maiduguri, respectively. Therefore, pearl millet varieties
LCICMV-1 and LCICMV-2 primed with KCl might be recommended as seed priming
substances in the Sudan savanna agro ecology of Nigeria.
References
Abdalla M. M. and El-Khoshiban N. H. (2007). The Influence of Water Stress on Growth, Relative
Water Content, Photosynthetic Pigments, Some Metabolic and Hormonal Contents of
Triticum aestivum Cultivars. Journal of Applied Science Research, 3: 2062-2074.
Abubakar, S. (2002). Development of Irrigation System in Sokoto (A case Study of Goronyo
Dam). M.Sc. Thesis, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
Basra S., Farooq, M. A. M. and Tabassum, R. (2005). Physiological and Biochemical Aspects of
Seed Vigour Enhancement Treatments in Fine Rice (Oryza sativa L.). Seed Science
and Technology, 33(3): 623-628.
Blake, G. R. and Hartge K. K. (1986). Methods of Soil Analysis Part 1 Agronomy Monographs
No 9, 2nd edition. American Society of Agronomy and Soil Science, Madison 161.
Duncan, D. B. (1955). Multiple Range and Multiple F- Test. Biometrics 2: 1- 42.
Encarta (2007). Encarta Microsoft @ Student 2007 (DVD). Redmond. WA: Microsoft
Corporation.
FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations) 2009. FAOSTAT data, year
Henckel, P. A. (1964). Physiology of Plants Under Drought. Annual Review of Plant Physiology,
: 363-386.
Izge, A. U., Odo, P. E. and Dugje, I. Y. (2009). Arable Crop Production, Da’a Press Ltd., Kaduna,
Nigeria, Pp 44-45.
Jyotsna,V. and Srivastava, A. K. (1998). Physiological Basis of Salt Stress Resistance in Pigeon
Pea (Cajanus cajan L.)-II. Pre-sowing Seed Soaking Treatment in Regulating Early
Seedling Metabolism During Seed Germination. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry,
, 89-93.
Kowal, J. M. and Kassan, A. H. (1978). Agricultural Ecology of the Savanna. A study of West
African, Colarado Press, Oxford. Pp 81.
Lake Chad Reasearch Institute, (2007). Annual Report on Weather in Maiduguri, Nigeria. Pp 14-
Manjunath, B. L., and Dhanoji, M. M. (2011). Effect of Seed Hardening with Chemicals on
Drought Tolerance Traits and Yield in Chickpea Cicer arientinum L.). Journal of
Agricultural Science, 3(3): 186-189.
Muhammad, M. and Azam, A. S. N. (2007). Effects of Environmental Stress on Growth, Radiation
use Efficiency and Yield of Finger millet (Eleucine coracana). Pakistan Journal of
Botany, 39: 463-474.
Ogigirigi, M. A. (1993). Environmental Amelioration and Conservation through Agroforestry for
Sustainable Agriculture in Semi-Arid Eco zones in Nigeria, Paper presented at the 29th
Annual Conference of the Agricultural Society of Nigeria. October 31- November, 1993.
: 1-20.
Pawar, K. N., Sajjan, A. S. and Prakash, B. G. (2003). Influence of Seed Hardening on Growth
and Yield of Sunflower. Karnataka Journal of Agricultural Science, 16(4): 539-541.
Thakuria, R. K. and Choudhary, J. K. (1995). Effect of Seed Priming, Potassium and Anti
Transpirant on Dry Seeded Rain-fed Ahu Rice. Indian Journal of Agronomy, 40: 412-
Watson, D.J. (1947). Comparative physiologic study on the growth of field crops. II. The effect of
varying nutrient supply on the net assimilation rate of leaf area. Annals of Botany, 11:
-407.
Winkel, T., Payne, W. and Renno, J. F. (2001). Ontogeny Modifies the Effects of Water Stress on
Stomatal Control, Leaf Area Duration and Biomass Partitioning of Pennisetum
glaucum. New Phytologist, 179: 71-82
Wu, X., Wang, D., Bean, S. D. and Wilson, J. P. (2006). Ethanol Production from Pearl Millet
Using Sacharomyces cerevisiae. Cereal Chem. 83:127-131.
Zhang, M., Duan, L., Zhai, Z., Tian, X., Wang, B., He, Z. and Li, Z. (2004). Effects of plant growth
regulators on water deficit-induced yield loss in soybean. Proceedings of the 4th
International Crop Science Congress, Brisbane, Australia, pp. 252-256.