The study was conducted on six barley varieties viz. BH 885, BH 946, BH 393, BH 902, DWRB 92 and DWRB 101 at CCS HAU, Hisar during 2020-21. The results revealed that maximum catalase activity (243.168 and 157.981umoles/g FW), peroxidase activity (22.33 and 35.03 units/g FW), superoxide activity (22.03 and 35.03 nmoles/g FW) and dehydrogenase activity (0.213 and 0.245 OD/g/ml) were estimated in the seeds primed with ZnO NPs @ 100ppm in cloth and polythene bag, respectively in variety DWRB 92. Among the varieties, DWRB 92 recorded highest catalase activity (217.168 umoles/g FW) in cloth bag while BH 393 recorded maximum catalase activity (232.961 umoles/g FW) in polythene bag. Minimum catalase activity was observed in DWRB 101(60.351 umoles/g FW) in cloth and BH 885 recorded least (121.418 umoles/g FW) in polythene bags. Maximum peroxidase activity (21.22 and 31.56 units/g FW) was estimated in BH 885 while minimum (12.71 and 22.54 units/g FW) in BH 946 in cloth and polythene bag, respectively. Maximum SOD activity (18.033 and 25.033 nmoles/g FW) was measured in DWRB 92 and minimum (12.712 and 22.537 nmoles/g FW) in BH 946 in cloth and polythene bag, respectively. Maximum DHA activity (0.170 and 0.206 OD/g/ml) was recorded in DWRB 101 and least in BH 946 (0.234 and 0.281 OD/g/ml) in cloth and polythene bag. It is concluded that among the various seed priming treatments, priming with ZnO NPs@100ppm at 25°C for 24 hours maintained higher enzyme activity. Barley seed quality can be maintained by storing the seeds at optimum moisture content (<8%) in polythene bags (>700gauge) with germination upto 94.61% as compare to cloth bags (85.89%).

The study was conducted on seeds of three two-rowed varieties viz. BH 885, DWRB 92 and DWRB 101 and three six-rowed rowed barley varieties viz. BH 946, BH 393, BH 902 at CCS HAU, Hisar, during 2020-21. Nine months naturally aged seeds were primed with GA 3 (50, 100 and 150 ppm), Ethanol (1, 3 and 5%) and ZnO nano-particles (50, 100 and 150 ppm). Primed seeds were stored in ordinary (Cloth bags) and moisture-proof (Polythene bags >700 gauge thickness) containers under ambient conditions. The results revealed that seed primed with ZnO 100 ppm recorded the lowest electrical conductivity (166.59 and 147.93 µS/cm/seed) whereas seeds primed with ethanol 5% recorded maximum (181.26 and 162.59 µS/cm/seed) in cloth and polythene bag, respectively. The highest electrical conductivity was recorded in BH 902 (201.90 and 182.03 µS/cm/seed) in cloth and polythene bags, respectively while minimum in BH 393 (153.70 µS/cm/seed) in cloth bag and in BH 885 (126.73 µS/cm/seed) in polythene bag. Maximum germination (91.00 and 92.5%), seedling length (30.61 and 33.58 cm) seedling dry weight (306.67 and 282.33 mg), vigour index-I (2800 and 3118) and vigour index-II (23650 and 21048) were observed in primed seeds with ZnO 100 ppm while minimum germination (85.83 and 89.33%), seedling length (22.64 and 24.23 cm), seedling dry weight (181.97 and 189.44 mg), vigour index-I (1958 and 2170) and vigour index-II (15557 and 16923) were in ethanol 5% in cloth and polythene bag, respectively. Among varieties, DWRB 101 recorded highest germination percentage (93.17 and 94.10%) while BH 885 recorded minimum (79.57 and 82.43%) in cloth and polythene bag, respectively. Maximum seedling length (28.24 and 31.31cm) was recorded in BH 946 and minimum (26.02 and 29.11cm) was in BH 902. Maximum dry weight was observed in DWRB 92 (264.97mg and 254.73 mg) in cloth and polythene bag, respectively while minimum was observed in BH 946 (207.07 mg) in cloth bag and DWRB101 (180.53 mg) in polythene bag. The highest vigour index-I (2595) was found in the BH 946 in cloth bag followed by DWRB 92 (2938) in polythene bag and minimum was observed in BH 885 (2120 and 2402) in cloth and polythene bag, respectively. Maximum vigour index-II (23748 and 22662) was recorded in DWRB 92 in cloth and polythene bags, respectively and minimum was recorded in BH 885 (18232) in cloth bag and in DWRB 101 (16982) in polythene bag. It is concluded that Polythene bags (with thickness >700 gauge) are more suitable to maintain the seed quality of barley as compared to cloth bags. DWRB 101 and BH 946 performed better in all the seed quality parameters indicating highly vigourous cultivars which can be used for further breeding programmes. Seed quality of barley can be enhanced through priming with ZnO 100 ppm and GA 3 100 ppm.