Assessment of the Effect of Seed Priming on Germination and Early Growth of Soybean in Kwara State

Seed priming improves germination speed, uniformity, and seedling vigour by partially hydrating seeds before planting, and its potential to enhance soybean establishment under the variable moisture conditions of central Nigeria merits experimental evaluation. This study assessed the effect of seed priming treatments on germination and early growth of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) under screen-house conditions at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, North Central Nigeria. Seeds of TGX 1835-10E variety were subjected to hydropriming (soaking in water for 8 hours), osmopriming (soaking in 0.5 percent KNO3 for 8 hours), biopriming (inoculation with Bradyrhizobium japonicum), and an unprimed control, arranged in a completely randomised design with four replications. Parameters measured at 7 and 14 days after planting included germination percentage, mean germination time, root length, shoot height, seedling fresh weight, and leaf area. Results showed that osmopriming significantly improved germination percentage (94.0 percent versus 78.5 percent for the control) and reduced mean germination time by 1.8 days. Biopriming produced the most vigorous seedlings in terms of root length (12.4 cm versus 8.7 cm for control) and seedling fresh weight. All priming treatments significantly improved seedling parameters over the control (p < 0.05). The study recommends osmopriming or biopriming as simple, cost-effective pre-planting treatments to enhance soybean stand establishment in Kwara State farming conditions. Keywords: seed priming, soybean, germination, seedling vigour, Kwara State