Improvement of cold tolerance in cotton seed by priming

Cotton seed and seedlings are damaged from cold stress conditions. Priming techniques are used to resolve this problem in different plants. In this study, different cotton varieties (ADNP - 01, Cukurova - 1518, DP - 396, Ersan - 92, Maras - 92, and SG - 125) primed with potassium nitrate (KNO3) and distilled water for increasing cold stress tolerance under controlled environmental conditions. Priming was conducted in 25 degrees C during 2 h and then seeds were washed and dried in 25 degrees C during 20 h. Dried seeds and controls were germinated in 18 degrees C during 7 days and germination index, germinated seed's root length, and root dry and fresh weight and vigor rate were calculated. On the research, germination index (GI), root length (RL), root fresh weight (RFW), root dry weight (RDW) and vigor rate (VR) were 0.00 - 6.02 index value, 0.00 - 14.33 mm, 0.00 - 785.50 mg, 0.00 - 62.75 mg and 0.00 - 92.00 vigour value, respectively. As a result significant differences were determined among treatments in terms of all measurement parameters (p < 0.01). All examined parameters were decreased with control treatment. The max germination index (GI), root length (RL), root fresh weight (RFW) and root dry weight (RDW) were observed at the distilled water treatment and highest GI was at KNO3 (4%) treatment. As a result, priming treatments caused an increase in the cotton seed performance under low temperature laboratory conditions. Results showed that potassium nitrate or distilled water are effective for cotton cold tolerance improvement.