Optimization and influence of seed priming with salts of potassium or calcium in two spring wheat cultivars differing in salt tolerance, at the initial growth stages

This study was carried out to determine whether salt tolerance could be induced in spring wheat at the germination stage by pretreatment of grains with solutions of different salts of K or Ca. The grains of a salt tolerant line (SARC-1) and a salt sensitive cv. (Potohar) were soaked for 4, 8 or 12 h in distilled water or in 50, 100, 150 or 200 mol m(-3) of KCl, KNO3, CaCl2.H2O or Ca(NO3)(2).4H(2)O. Primed seeds were air-dried and germinated in 0, 120 or 240 mol m(-3) NaCl. Neither varying soaking time periods nor varying concentrations of different salts proved to be effective in inducing salt tolerance in the two spring wheat cultivars with respect to germination percentage. rate of germination, or dry weights of plumules after 8 days of imbibition in saline medium. Of the different salts used for priming, KNO3 and KCl were found to be inhibitory to initial growth of both the cultivars. In general, the salt tolerant line SARC-1 was superior to the salt sensitive cv. Potohar in early growth response to salt stress.