Comparative Effects of Magnetic Field, Hydropriming, and GA₃ Seed Priming in Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.)

Seed priming is widely used to improve crop establishment, but there are limited field studies that compare different priming methods considering plant growth throughout the season. This study compares physical and chemical seed priming methods in safflower under field conditions and evaluates their effects on growth and yield.

A randomized complete block design was conducted with four treatments (Magnetic Field (MF), Hydropriming (HP), Gibberellic Acid (GA₃), and control) and five replications. Plant growth was assessed using parameters related to canopy development, biomass accumulation, and photosynthetic efficiency. Data were analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and treatment effects were considered significant at P < 0.05 and P < 0.01.

Seed priming significantly improved growth and yield compared with the control (P < 0.01). Magnetic field priming resulted in the highest canopy development, with a maximum leaf area index of 3.72 and leaf area duration of 1794. Seed yield reached 4007 kg ha⁻¹, representing a 199% increase over the control (1338 kg ha⁻¹), and exceeding GA₃ and HP treatments by 32% and 62%, respectively. GA₃ mainly improved early photosynthetic efficiency, whereas HP enhanced initial seedling vigor.

In contrast, MF priming promoted sustained canopy development and biomass accumulation throughout the growth cycle.

Treatments supporting longer canopy activity were more effective for improving safflower yield than those primarily affecting early growth stages. Magnetic field priming improved safflower growth and yield and may serve as a useful non-chemical seed treatment approach. Further studies are needed to confirm these responses under different environmental conditions.