Improvement Seedling Growth Of Celery (Apium graveolens L.) Using Humic Acid, Potassium Silicate And Low Gamma Irradiation Doses

The effects of different priming treatments either at room temperature or at 5 degree C in an incubator for 16 hours were studied. An experiment of pots was planted using hydro priming celery ( Apium graveolens L.) seeds for comparison with those primed in different solutions. Seeds were soaked in Petri dishes containing: tap water, different concentrations of potassium silicate (2, 4, 8, 16 mM Si) and humic acid concentrations (5, 20,100, 200 mM ) at room temperature and 5 degree C in an incubator before planting for 16 hours. Also, some dry seeds we re exposed to gamma rays at different low doses (20, 40, 60 Gy) before priming in tap water. This work aimed to improve the tolerance of celery seeds subjected to chilling stress by priming seeds in different concentrations of humic acid and potassium silicate in addition to use low doses of ionizing radiation to accelerate plants proliferation, growth, and leaves yield. Humic acid and potassium silicate were effective as priming solutions for alleviating the chilling stress, stimulating celery growth, and proliferation. In addition, using of low doses of ionizing radiation had a stimulant effect on plants after 120 days from planting