Seed Priming: The Way Forward to Mitigate Abiotic Stress in Crops

Abstract

Abiotic stress is a major threat to the farming community, biasing the crop productivity in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. The seed is an important component of agriculture, contributing significantly to the booming production of food and feed crops across the different agro-ecological regions of the world with constant challenges with reference to production, storage, and quality control. Germination, plant growth, and development via non-normal physiological processes are detrimentally affected by stress. Seed priming is an alternative, low cost, and feasible technique, which can improve various abiotic stress tolerances through enhanced and advanced seed production. Seed priming is a process that involves imbibing seed with a restricted amount of water to allow sufficient hydration and advancement of metabolic processes but preventing germination. The beneficial influence of priming on the germination performance of diverse species is attributed to the induction of biochemical mechanisms of cell repair: the resumption of metabolic activity that can re-impose cellular integrity, through the synthesis of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) and proteins and the improvement of the antioxidant defense system metabolic damage incurred by dry seed and thus fortifying the metabolic machinery of the seed. With this background, this chapter highlights the morphological, physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses of seed priming and recent advances in priming methods as a tool to combat abiotic stress in crop plants.

Hydropriming improves seed germination in horned melon (Cucumis metuliferus E. Mey. Ex Naudin) landraces

“…Hydro priming increases G %, R %, and MDG germination up to a peak (24 h), after which it begins to decline, indicating that prolonged priming has a detrimental impact on germination. Prolonged priming results in excess water inside the seed embryo and this causes a substantial decrease in oxygen availability in the embryo [38]. A decrease in Z values and T 50 values in hydro primed treatments indicates faster and even more uniform germination.…”

Priming with Small Molecule-Based Biostimulants to Improve Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana

“…Seed priming has earned recognition as an innovative and affordable technology to counteract the harmful effects of abiotic stress since it enhances the plant defense responses [ 30 ]. The use of natural compounds or biostimulants as priming agents has shown promising results in improving plant performance under suboptimal conditions [ 29 , 31 ].…”

Solid Matrix Priming: An Effective Technique Used for Improvement in Seed Emergence, Vigor and Seedling Growth of Vegetable Crops

“…Temperature: Temperature, air, humidity and light conditions are important requirements for successful seed germination. At optimum temperature, rapid and uniform seed germination occurs, however with a slightest change in this temperature leads to seeds damage or undergo dormancy conditions (Arun et al, 2022). SMP priming increased seed emergence of broccoli and cauliflower in suboptimal conditions (10-15 o C) by enhancing activities of ROS scavenging enzymes peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase under low temperature stress (Ling-Yun al., 2022).…”

“…Salt stress damage occurs to germinating seeds due to changes in mobilization of stored food reserves, reduction in water availability and alteration in structural organization of proteins (Mavi et al, 2013). High concentration of salts interferes with plant ability to uptake water and reduce seed germination due to ionic toxicity of Na + and Cl - (Arun et al, 2022). Whereas low salt concentration imparts seeds dormancy (Johnson and Puthur, 2021).…”