Responses of three switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) cultivars to seed priming and differential aging conditions

Abstract

In switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) cultivation, rapid and uniform germination is essential because it is one of the most promising candidates for biofuel production. Priming, a seed enhancement technique with solid carriers, can be a useful tool for improving germination characteristics of switchgrass seeds. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of priming on three non-aged and aged switchgrass cultivars of ‘Cave in rock’ ‘Dacotah’, and ‘Kanlow’. Seeds were primed with a synthetic calcium silicate (MicroCel E) and water at 30°C for five days. Seed, carrier and water proportions were 1 g, 0.5 g, and 1.5 mL, respectively. There was a 5% point (pp, Cave in rock), 8 pp (Dacotah), and 19 pp (Kanlow) increase in primed seeds compared with non-treated control seeds. Furthermore, priming decreased mean germination time by 26–36% in all seeds compared with the non-treated control. Accelerated aging was induced by storing seeds for 0, 10, and 21 days at 42°C and 95% relative humidity (RH). Germination percentage decreased and mean germination time increased with the aging. These results suggest that priming is an effective technique to improve the performance of switchgrass cultivars.