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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. sp5 (2026): Recent Advances in Agriculture

Seed invigoration treatments as a tool for enhancing the vigour and performance of stored sorghum seeds

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.15199
Submitted
24 April 2026
Published
10-09-2026

Abstract

Seed deterioration during storage adversely affects vigour and subsequent field performance of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench), necessitating effective post-storage interventions to restore seed quality. The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of different seed invigoration treatments in enhancing vigour, physiological performance, antioxidant activity and field establishment of stored sorghum seed lots differing in initial vigour status. Seeds subjected to various invigoration treatments were evaluated under laboratory and field conditions. The results indicated that all seed invigoration treatments improved germination, seedling vigour, biochemical attributes and field establishment compared with the untreated control, although the magnitude of improvement varied among treatments. Among the evaluated treatments, seed priming with BioNPK + drought alleviating bacteria (DAB) at 0.5 % (B6) significantly improved germination (83.83 %), mean germination time (33.30 hr), seedling vigour index I and II (1790 and 918 respectively) and improved antioxidant activity i.e. catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, proline content and reduced malondialdehyde content under laboratory conditions. Other priming treatments also exhibited positive effects but were comparatively less effective than B6. Under field conditions, all invigoration treatments improved field emergence, plant growth and yield-related traits over the untreated control, with BioNPK + DAB at 0.5 % (B6) outperforming other treatments by enhancing field emergence (71.78 %), plant growth parameters and yield parameters compared with the untreated control, with pronounced benefits observed in medium- and low-vigour seed lots. Enhanced early seedling establishment translated into improved crop growth and physiological performance under field conditions. The study demonstrates that appropriate seed invigoration treatments can effectively mitigate storage-induced deterioration, improve seed lot performance and serve as a practical tool for enhancing productivity in sorghum cultivation.

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