SEED TREATMENT WITH SALICYLIC ACID IMPROVES GROWTH, BIOCHEMICAL ATTRIBUTES AND QUALITY SEED PRODUCTION OF PEA

The use of different growth regulators can modulate plant growth and increase yield of various crops. Salicylic acid (SA) has been successfully used as seed treatment in improvement of plant growth and yield. This study was conducted to optimize different concentrations of salicylic acid (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 & 250 mg/liter) for seed treatment of pea cultivars (Meteor & PF-400). Results implied a positive impact of salicylic acid seeds treatment in improving the studied attributes. Seed treatment with 200 mg/L salicylic acid produced maximum root length (11.25 cm), flowers per plant (44.7), average seed yield per plant (66.3 g) in mature plants of cv. Meteor which were significantly different from control i.e., 8.3 cm root length, 23.2 flowers per plant and 30.2 g seed yield per plant of control. Meteor plants from this treatment also maximally accumulated total phenolics (17.4 mg/g F.wt.) and total soluble proteins (3.49 mg/g F.wt.) in leaves which were significantly better than control (8.3 mg/g F.wt. total phenolics and 2.83 mg/g F.wt. total soluble proteins). Similarly, maximum shoot length (64.3 cm), average seed yield per plant (68.2 g), chlorophyll contents (3.53 mg/g F.wt.), carotenoid contents (0.83 mg/g F.wt.), total phenolics (15.6 mg/g F.wt.) and total soluble proteins (3.58 mg/g F.wt.) in leaves of PF-400 plants were recorded in response to seed treatment with 200 mg/L salicylic acid. These results were also statistically significant as compared to lower concentrations of SA and control (shoot length 40.3 cm; average seed yield per plant 26.9 g; chlorophyll contents 2.59 mg/g F.wt.; carotenoid contents 0.56 mg/g F.wt.; total phenolics 8.9 mg/g F.wt. and total soluble proteins 2.69 mg/g F.wt. in control plants). Moreover, seeds harvested from plants of both pea cultivars grown from 200 mg/L SA treatment showed maximum final germination percentage, seedling length and seedling vigor index. Furthermore, treatment of pea seeds with 250 mg/L SA produced, longest main shoot (60.2 cm), maximum number of pods per plant (40.0) of Meteor, while maximum root length (11.2 cm), flowers (48.8) and pods per plant (45.0) of PF-400. It can be concluded that treatment of pea seeds (Meteor & PF-400) with 200 or 250 mg/L salicylic acid can be used as a tool to improve growth of pea plants, seed yield and also quality of the produced seed. Keywords: Pisum sativum, Meteor, PF-400, salicylic acid, seed soaking, seedling vigor index, seed yield