Effect of laser- and hydropriming of seeds on some physiological parameters in sugar beet

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of pre-sowing seeds treatments on some agro-physiological parameters of sugar beets. The selected seeds treatments were: laser stimulation, hydropriming and combination of hydropriming and laser radiation. The impact of the seeds stimulation was analysed by determining the acid phosphatase activity, concentration of phosphate and photosynthetic pigments in leaves as well as nutrient status and some yield parameters of the roots. The plants were assayed four times during vegetation period. Experiment shown that different priming methods had relatively small effect on both the level of orthophosphate and total phosphorus concentration. On the other hand, the plants raised from seeds both hydro- and laser-primed remained more stable level of phosphate during whole vegetative season than remaining plants. The highest activity of acid phosphatase was observed in the younger plants and amongst different seed treatments, plants grown from non-primed seeds and laser primed seeds showed the highest enzyme activity. In the later stages of growth the activity considerably lowered. Considering the effect of different seeds treatments it was observed a significant increase in enzyme activity in plants emerged from the hydroprimed or laser stimulated seeds as well as an increment of chlorophylls in plants emerged from the hydroprimed seeds and both hydro- and laser primed ones. Seeds stimulation had a positive effect on the potassium content particularly in leaves of sugar beet and on some yield parameters of the roots. Concluding, it can be stated that the effect of pre-sowing seed stimulation (priming) was visible during the entire growing season and amongst the examined methods of seeds treatment, hydropriming sole or in a combination with laser radiation caused the highest alterations in assayed parameters.