Priming of Citrullus lanatus var. Colocynthoides seeds in seaweed extract improved seed germination, plant growth and performance under salinity conditions

Abstract

Citrullus lanatus var. Colocynthoide “Gurum” is an unconventional crop that can be utilized as a new source of edible oil and has the ability to grow in a variety of harsh conditions. To mitigate the adverse effects of salinity on seed germination and plant performance of C. lanatus, seeds were primed in the aqueous extracts of the seaweed Ulva lactuca before planting under greenhouse conditions. The aqueous extract of U. lactuca at 8% w/v led to maximal seed germination percentage and seedling growth of C. lanatus. Moreover, U. lactuca extract counteracted the negative effects of salt stress on the plant by significantly increasing the activity of SOD, CAT, and POD. The bioactive components of U. lactuca, e.g. glycine betaine and phenolic compounds can account for such beneficial role of algal extract on C. lanatus. Thus, priming of C. lanatus seeds in U. lactuca extract with various concentrations of U. lactuca extract can be employed as an effective practice for successful seed germination, improved plant growth and enhanced salt resistance, probably as a result of increased antioxidant enzymes activity and photosynthetic pigments.

Codium fragile (Suringar) Hariot as Biostimulant Agent to Alleviate Salt Stress in Durum Wheat: Preliminary Results from Germination Trials

“…The strong effect of the Codium fragile extract is probably due to the combination of these different active compounds that, through different modes of action, confer to durum wheat seedlings a greater tolerance to salt stress. Other studies reported that priming seeds with SWE leads to an improved antioxidant enzyme activity [ 42 ]. The seed coating with SWE has also led to a general reduction in germination time, especially under salt stress conditions.…”

“…A similar positive effect on shoots and roots was observed also in other crops such as tomato, okra, etc. [ 36 , 42 , 97 ]. It is well known that biostimulants, especially seaweed extracts, can increase crop development, even in stress conditions [ 33 ].…”

“…Biostimulants, especially seaweed extracts (SWE), showed good results in promoting seed germination and seedlings vigour of different plant species under both optimal and saline conditions [ 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 ]. The positive effect is probably due to the high content of phytohormones, which tend to play a major role in seed germination [ 45 ].…”