The objective of this study was to examine the effect of primers on seed quality parameters using different starting values of germination. For this purpose, ten soybean lines selected at the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Novi Sad were evaluated. The starting values of germination ranged between 48% and 89%. Seeds were surface sterilized with 3% sodium hypochlorite and immersed in different primers: 1% potassium nitrate, 1% potassium chloride and 1% hydrogen peroxide. Untreated seeds were used as the control. The obtained results revealed that the effects of priming depended on soybean line and treatment, whereas the efficiency of this pre-sowing treatment was not affected by the starting value of seed germination. Some lines responded favorably to immersion, while in others priming had an inhibitory effect, causing a significant decrease in germination. There was an increase in germination up to 12% or a decrease up to 11%, depending on line and treatment. Lines that were positively affected by this method also exhibited increased values for other germination parameters: mean germination time (MGT) and time to 50% germination (T50). Lower values of MGT and T50 were observed in lines which showed a negative response to priming and a decrease in germination, but also a more rapid radicle protrusion, as compared to the control.In conclusion, there is no universal applicability of one single primer as it might cause a negative response in some lines and thus reduce seed quality.

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Seed germination and seedling growth are the most sensitive plant stages towards salinity. Various techniques can improve emergence and stand formation under salt conditions. Seeds priming is one of the most frequently used technique. Seed priming could develop different defence mechanisms of seeds against salinity stress. This experiment aims to examine the seed priming into potassium nitrate - KNO3 (1%), ascorbic acid – ASA (100mgl-1), and potassium chloride - KCl (1%) solutions, that may reduce harmful effects of salinity stress. Salinity was imposed by treatment of seeds with different concentrations of NaCl (0 (control), 50, 100, 200m MNaCl). All data were analysed statistically by three-way ANOVA. Individual testing of probability was carried out using Tukey’s method p £ 0.05 and p £ 0.01. Correlation dependence was determined using the Pearson correlation coefficient. Test results demonstrated positive effect of seed priming. This was showed by improved soybean seed quality and increased seed germination rate. The intensity of lipid peroxidation, free proline concentration and Na+ was decreased, while K+ in seedlings increased due to priming treatment. Priming of seeds into ASA solution resulted in increased vitamin C concentration, while priming into KNO3 and ÊCl solutions reduced the content of vitamin Ñ in soybean seedlings.

The aim of the research was to test the effect of foliar-applied solutions of ascorbic acid (AsA), glycine betaine (GB), salicylic acid (SA) and water as a second control on the yield and seed germination of the soybean (Glycine hispida (Moench) Maxim.) cultivar 'Sava' as well as their influence on the content of N, P, K and Ca in soybean seeds, and to estimate the intensity of lipid peroxidation and free proline content in soybean seedlings. The plants were treated with the solutions twice. The 1 st spray treatment was done at growth stage 6: flowering (main shoot), when first flowers opened (sporadically in population), and the 2 nd spray treatment was done at growth stage 7: development of fruits and seeds, when the first pod had reached final length of 15-20 mm. Foliar application of the solutions had a significant impact on seed yield and seed germination in both years of the experiment. In a favourable year 2016, treatments with ascorbic acid, glycine betaine and salicylic acid solution significantly increased seed yield by 6.21-9.67%. However, in an unfavourable year 2017, the effect was significantly greater with the application of water (yield increase 6.48%), while the application of glycine betaine solution even reduced the seed yield. In a favourable year 2016, treatments with ascorbic acid and salicylic acid solution significantly increased seed germination by 7% and 8%, respectively. In an unfavourable year 2017, also only ascorbic acid and salicylic acid significantly increased seed germination by 11% and 9%, respectively. However, when using cold test, when the seed was exposed to a low temperature of 10°C for 7 days and then placed under optimal seed germination conditions for 4 days, ascorbic acid and glycine betaine solution reduced seed germination in both experimental years. Therefore, further research is needed on the methods designed to increase seed germination of soybean, both in favourable and adverse conditions in Serbia.

The objective of this paper was to examine the effect of seed lot, sowing date, and priming on germination and vigour of soybean seed. Three different seed lots of an old soybean variety (Lot 1, Lot 2, Lot 3) created at the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops in Novi Sad were used. There were three sowing dates: 10 April, 20 May and 20 June. KNO 3 (1%), H 2 O 2 (0.1%), GA 3 (0.075%) and distilled water were used as primers. The results showed that soaking the seed prior to sowing, so called priming, positively affected seed germination and vigour in all three lots and with all three sowing dates. The best effect was accomplished with Lot 1 and sowing on the third date. With regards to primers, the best effect was achieved with the application of KNO 3 and H 2 O 2 solutions. Research has shown that even soaking the seed in distilled water, which is a simple, cheap, and ecological method of priming, in most cases leads to improvement of germination and vigour of soybean seed.

The aim of the research was to test the effect of pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) on soybean seed germination and yield depending on specific field conditions, years of study, exposure duration and frequency. Field trial was conducted on an experimental field of Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops in Novi Sad, Serbia in 2010-2013. Seeds of the soybean (Glycine hispida (Moench)) medium-early cultivar ʻValjevkaʼ were exposed to the PEMF therapy using the impulse generator and strip. Low-frequency (16, 24, 30 and 72 Hz) PEMF was used in the duration of 0, 30, 60 and 90 minutes. Research results indicate that this method can increase seed germination up to 8.00% and yield by 960.5 kg, or 21% in field conditions, which is a significant increase and a solid basis to introduce this practice, primarily in organic production with a very limited use of seed treatment preparations. However, the practice can have an inhibitory effect under an unfavourable combination of exposure duration and frequency. The obtained data were processed using the analysis of variance of three-factorial trials considering all years of study. Due to different meteorological conditions in the study years, analysis of variance was conducted for each year of study and correlations between the tested traits were examined.

Drought is one of the most important factors limiting the successful production of cultivated plants. One of the most sensitive stage to the water deficit in plants is seed germination. There are various methods of pre-sowing treatments that aim to reduce the negative impact of drought stress and improve seed germination. One of them is priming seeds. The aim of this experiment was to examine the effect of priming seeds in solutions - KNO3 (1%), ascorbic acid - AsA (100 mgl-1) and potassium chloride KCl (1%) on the reduction of the negative effect of drought stress. The effect of drought stress was simulated using different concentrations of PEG 6000 (0 (control), -0.30, -0.51, -0.80 MPa). The results of the research showed that with the increase of water deficiency, the effect of priming seeds is greater. At the water potential of the solution of -0.30 MPa, germination energy and seed germination increased on average by 6.77% and 5.08%, while at the water potential of the solution of -0.80 MPa, the increase was 19.28% and 16.75%, respectively. Also, priming seeds significantly reduced the intensity of lipid peroxidation and the content of free proline. From all the above, it can be concluded that priming of seeds is a method that can serve to improve the germination of soybean seeds in conditions of drought stress.