Alleviation of Salt Stress Employing Priming with Sodium Chloride in Chickpea (Cv. Mahamaya-1, Cicer arietinum L) for Improved Germinability, Membrane Permeability and Enzyme Activity

The present study was performed in order to assess the influence of priming treatments in different salt concentrations of sodium chloride (0.00mM, 25mM, 50mM, 75mM, 100mM) in Chickpea desi (Mahamaya 1) variety. Seeds were collected from Baharampur Pulse and Oil Seed Research Station, Baharampur, Murshidabad and the experiments were conducted in the Institute of Agricultural Science, University of Calcutta. The seeds were soaked in different concentration of sodium chloride solutions and then seeds were lightly dried in the artificial dryer for 24 h. Germination test were conducted after 24h in different concentrations of salt solutions (0mM to 100mM) with primed and non-primed seeds revealed that 25mM sodium chloride solution primed seeds have shown greater seedling length and reduced leakage of electrolytes and sugar with a higher dehydrogenase enzyme activity than non-primed as well as other primed seeds. On the basis of the results, seed priming with 25mM sodium chloride solutions may be suggested for improved germination and seedling growth of Chickpea under salt stress conditions.