The results of the laboratory experiments indicated that the effect of the studied treatments on the final germination percentage was significant. The seedling vigor index of dill was restricted when the Fe and B concentrations increased beyond and 1%, respectively. | B. MIRSHEKARI Research Article Turk J Agric For 36 (2012) 27-33 © TÜBİTAK doi: Seed priming with iron and boron enhances germination and yield of dill (Anethum graveolens) Bahram MIRSHEKARI* Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz - IRAN Received: Abstract: To study the effects of seed priming with solutions of Fe and B, each at concentrations of , 1%, , and 2%, and Fe + 1% B, on the germination and yield of dill (Anethum graveolens), 2 separate laboratory and field experiments were conducted. The results of the laboratory experiments indicated that the effect of the studied treatments on the final germination percentage was significant. The seedling vigor index of dill was restricted when the Fe and B concentrations increased beyond and 1%, respectively. The highest seed yield was recorded for the concentration of Fe + 1% B in solution, which produced nearly 20% greater yield than the control. The essential oil concentration of the seeds ranged from for Fe to for B for the priming solutions. There was a positive response to seed priming with Fe and B regarding the essential oil yield. Priming dill seeds in the Fe + 1% B solution resulted in a further increase in dill yield. Key words: Dill, essential oil, priming, seedling vigor Introduction Dill (Anethum graveolens L.) is an annual herb of the family Apiaceae. It is native to southwestern Asia and southeastern Europe. It has been cultivated since ancient times (Bailer et al. 2001) as a vegetable, a carminative, an aromatic, and an antispasmodic plant (Hornok 1992; Sharma 2004). It is considered to be one of the most important medicinal plants in Iran, after saffron (Crocus sativus L.), cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.), and fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.). One of the world’s major crop productivity constraints is the unavailability of crop nutrients, in both adequate amount and .
