EFFECTS OF SEED PRIMING WITH SODIUM CHLORIDE ON SEEDLING PERFORMANCE OF COMMON BEAN (PHASEOLUS VULGARIS L.) UNDER GREEN HOUSE CONDITION

This study was conducted at Jimma University College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine (JUCAVM) under controlled environmental conditions of greenhouse to determine the effects of different concentration of sodium chloride (NaCl) on germination and seedling growth of Phaseolus vulgaris L. Five concentrations of sodium chloride (o mol(distilled water), 0.1M, 0.2M,0.3M and 0.4M) with one control treatment of un-primed seeds were laid out in completely randomized design (CRD) with three replication. Data were collected on standard germination, Rate of germination, Seedling height, Shoot length, Root length and Vigor index. The result revealed that different NaCl concentrations statistically (p≤0.05) affected standard germination, Rate of germination, Seedling height, Shoot length and Vigor index I of common bean crop. The highest value of all these parameters were obtained from seed primed with 0.1M NaCl as well as when the seed primed with distilled water. However, the lowest values of these parameters were recorded on the seed primed with the highest concentration (0.4M) of NaCl and un-primed seed. More of the examined parameters were decreased with increasing of NaCl concentration. In conclusion, priming seed with 0.1M of NaCl concentration enhanced germination and seedling performance of common bean.