Responses of Seed Germination, Seedling Growth, and Seed Yield Traits to Seed Pretreatment in Maize (Zea mays L.)

Table 2

Effects of pretreatment reagents and priming methods on yield composition of maize (𝑛=10).

Pretreatment methods	Reagents	Plant height (cm)	Leaf number	Yield (𝑡/hr)	Hundred-grain weight (g)
	Control	185.11 ± 3.36^a	9.00 ± 0.49^bcd	13.24 ± 1.57	18.64 ± 2.55^d
Priming	Water	178.84 ± 3.34^ab	7.80 ± 0.51^d	13.94 ± 1.09	20.78 ± 3.22^cd
	NaCl	183.41 ± 4.96^a	8.25 ± 0.59^cd	10.88 ± 1.01	16.43 ± 2.18^d
	PEG	182.28 ± 4.13^a	9.44 ± 0.37^abc	12.35 ± 0.96	21.29 ± 4.32^cd
	GA	169.43 ± 5.19^b	8.70 ± 0.26^bcd	11.14 ± 0.93	25.72 ± 4.56^bcd
Presoaking	Water	178.03 ± 5.20^ab	8.90 ± 0.40^ab	13.57 ± 1.11	29.23 ± 4.38^abc
	NaCl	178.87 ± 4.53^ab	9.40 ± 0.37^ab	13.02 ± 0.64	32.17 ± 4.26^ab
	PEG	183.78 ± 3.68^a	10.30 ± 0.36^a	13.07 ± 0.79	37.13 ± 4.70^a
	GA	182.16 ± 4.11^a	9.55 ± 0.44^a	13.58 ± 1.08	24.23 ± 2.57^bcd

Different letters indicate significant differences from different pretreatments (𝑃<0.05).