Vermicompost priming stimulated germination and seedling emergence of onion seeds against abiotic stresses

The present study elucidates the effect of matrix priming with vermicompost (VCP) on germination and seedling emergence of two onion seed lots under drought, salt and temperature stress conditions. Seeds treated with water was considered as hydropriming (HP) and untreated (NP) seeds were taken as control. Treated and untreated seeds were exposed to different levels of drought (10 and 15% PEG), salt (50 and 100 mM NaCl) and temperature (30 and 35 degrees C) stresses. Priming with vermicompost improved the performance of onion seed as indicated by higher germination and seedling growth under stress conditions. Catalase, superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase activities were found to be significantly (P <0.05) higher in the vermicompost treated seeds than hydroprimed and untreated seeds.