International Journal of Plant & Soil Science

The investigation entitled “Effect of seed priming with plant growth regulators on growth parameters, biochemical changes of rice (Oryza sativa L.)” was conducted during kharif season, 2018 at Student Instructional Farm (SIF) of Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya-224 229 (U.P.) in randomized block design with eight treatments and three replications on rice variety Sarju-52.The treatments were comprised of priming with plant growth regulators of different concentrations viz salicylic acid (50 ppm, 100 ppm and 150 ppm), KNO₃ (1%, 1.5% and 2%) along with unprimed control and hydro-priming. Seed priming was done for 12 hours in different treatments and nursery was raised. Twenty one days old seedlings were transplanted. Observations were recorded on various growth parameters at 30, 60, 90 DAT such as leaf area index (LAI), relative water content (RWC), biochemical parameters like chlorophyll content (SPAD Value), catalase activity (EU mg^-1 protein min^-1), total soluble sugar (mg g^-1 dry weight), at harvest stages. All the plant growth regulators viz salicylic acid (50 ppm, 100 ppm and 150 ppm) and KNO₃ (1%, 1.5% and 2%) influenced positively on the growth characters, chlorophyll content, & yield content in rice crop. Seed priming of KNO₃ @ 2% was found superior followed by salicylic acid 150 ppm over rest of the treatments.