The Efficiency of Priming and Seed Coating Based on Organic Compounds in Seedling Growth and Traits of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

Priming and seed coating processes are becoming increasingly common in modern agriculture. Although the priming process is used in many plants, seed coating is mostly applied to small seeds. In the present study, an economical and ecological seed coating method was tried to be developed for alfalfa by using completely natural or organic components. The same cultivar (Bilensoy) and seed were used in all treatments, and the results were compared with normal and commercially coated seed. Distilled water 1% smoke solution (DS) obtained from St. John's Wort (Hypericum heterophyllum) and two saline (NaCl) solutions (50 mM “TC1” and 100 mM “TC2”) were used for priming. Clay, ash and lime were used as coating material. In all applied treatments, a faster ground-cover potential was observed compared to normal and commercially coated seed. The seedling characteristics and content of seeds that were only coated did not change much compared to the normal seed. However, when priming + coating processes were applied together, significant (p<0.01) and positive improvements were recorded in the seedling development and chemical structure of shoots of alfalfa seeds. In terms of germination and seedling characteristics, DS and especially saline solutions (TC1 and TC2) were more effective than pure water for priming. No adverse events were detected regarding the coating components and the amount used. As a result; seedling growth and characteristics of alfalfa which primed with TC1 or TC2 then coated with clay (20%), ash (20%), lime (20%) and clay+lime (20+20%), respectively, at half of the seed weight, were sperior than normal or commercially coated seeds.