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Observations and sun'eys in semi-arid smallholder agriculture in Zimbabwe suggest that stand establishment of many crops is often extreme (v poor and is the major cause of low. vields.'On-jarm'seed priming experiments were conducted in pots to identifY the optimum priming time and compare rate of emergence and ear (v growth of pri111ed and nonprimed seed. Soil mixed with sand in a 1: 1 ratio wasfWed into pofs. Pots were watered to field capacit: v on the evening prior to sowing and left overnight. Seed of maize (cv. R201 and PAN6363) and sorghum (cv. Red Swazi andlvfuchayeni) was soaked in water for 0, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 hours. Soaking time was staggered so that all soaking durations terminated at the same time. At the end of priming ti111e seed was removed from water, surface dried and samples of 10 and 24 maize and sorghum seeds, respective (v, were sown into each pot …