Quantifying the potential of ‘on-farm’ seed priming to increase crop performance in developing countries. A meta-analysis

Abstract

Low-input agriculture in marginal areas of developing countries faces considerable challenges during crop development. A key stage in crop growth is seed germination, which is often constrained by abiotic factors such as low water potential, high temperatures and soil crusting, which can result in poor establishment. This is exacerbated by low soil fertility, salinity, drought, pests and diseases, which ultimately leads to reduced yields. Over the last 20 years, the potential of 'on-farm' seed priming, a traditional, low-cost technique, consisting of soaking seeds in water prior to sowing, has been applied to different crops and conditions with varying degrees of success. To understand the significance of this potentially transformative agronomic strategy, we have conducted a global meta-analysis of on-farm seed priming by quantifying (i) the rate of emergence, (ii) final emergence and (iii) total yield from 44 published papers on 17 crops across 10 countries. Our results show that on-farm seed priming has a significantly positive effect on crop performance: seeds emerge 22% faster, with an increased final emergence of 11%, with total yields 21% higher than conventionally sown seeds. Furthermore, subgroup analyses demonstrated that on-farm seed priming is more advantageous under stressful abiotic conditions with case studies categorized as being either 'nutrient deficient', 'salinity-stressed' or 'dry climates' gaining the highest yield improvements (22-28%). On-farm seed priming can be particularly beneficial to resource-poor farmers working in low-input agricultural systems where yield potential is limited by intrinsically stressed agronomic environments. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that on-farm seed priming is perfectly adapted to local situations in developing countries. Our results provide the evidence that on-farm seed priming could be effectively adopted by resource-poor farmers as a strategy to increase food security in some of the most marginal agricultural areas.

A scoping review of research funding for small-scale farmers in water scarce regions

“…To date, the evidence base addressing interventions to improve the livelihoods of small-scale farmers in water scarce regions is limited. Structured evidence syntheses such as systematic reviews and meta-analyses do exist [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] , as do more traditional literature reviews 21,22 , but all tend to focus on subtopics such as conservation agriculture, irrigation or policy frameworks.…”

Low Doses of Cuscuta reflexa Extract Act as Natural Biostimulants to Improve the Germination Vigor, Growth, and Grain Yield of Wheat Grown under Water Stress: Photosynthetic Pigments, Antioxidative Defense Mechanisms, and Nutrient Acquisition

“…Water stress affects each stage of plant life, starting from germination to grain filling [ 1 , 2 ]. Seed germination and seedling vigor are of prime importance [ 3 ] because they are necessary for better and uniform crop stand establishment [ 4 ], resulting in better final production. Under soil water deficit, they are seriously disturbed, leading to severe crop yield losses worldwide [ 5 ].…”

“…However, regarding the selection of genotypes for better yield, most high yielding wheat crop varieties do not perform well under water stress [ 10 ]. Among others, seed priming through different ways is being employed excessively for better crop stand establishment [ 4 ]. These priming techniques include hydro-priming, chemo-priming, and halo-priming.…”

Metabolic signatures of germination triggered by kinetin in Medicago truncatula

“…A major issue of grain legumes is the need to stabilize yields in water-limited environments since, compared to other crops, they have higher water requirements. Legumes are used in rotational and intercropping systems during the post-rainy season or in lands unsuitable for the main crop and the availability of seeds primed by controlled hydration before sown improves seedling emergence and establishment 26 . Indeed, reduced field performance generally results from the variability in number and speed of seedling emergence, thus reflecting poor seed vigor 27 .…”