Effect of seed soaking with kinetin on seed germination and seedling growth of five barley cultivars (Hordeum vulgare L.)

A laboratory experiment was conducted in the Department of Field Crops/College of Agriculture/Tikrit University to determine the effect of seeds priming of five barley cultivars (Arevat, Alwarkaa, Alhadher, Buraq, Rihan) with four concentrations (0, 60, 120, and 180 ppm) of kinetin on the parameters of germination and seedling growth. The factorial experiment was laid out in completely randomized design (CRD) with four replications. There was a significant effect on all studied traits due to cultivars, kinetin, and cultivars x kinetin interaction, which indicated high genetic variation among evaluated barley cultivars. Buraq cultivar was superior to all cultivars in all studied traits: germination percentage, speed, and vigor, root and shoot length, and dry weight with values of 98.38%, 48.76, 56.19, 10.35cm, 18.47cm, and 0.03776g, respectively. All concentrations of kinetin were significantly superior to the control treatment for all studied traits. Seeds treated with 60 ppm of kinetin gave the highest values of germination percentage (90.75%) and root length (10.81cm), while the concentration 120 ppm gave highest value of germination vigor (45.60) and shoot length (19.96 cm). The combination of (Buraq x 60 ppm) was superior for all studied traits except the trait of total dry weight, where the interactions of Buraq, Arevat, and Rihan cultivars with 120 ppm of kinetin were superior.