The effects of seed priming with sodium hydrosulphide on drought tolerance of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) in germination and early growth

Abstract

Sunflower seeds (hybrid Luka) were primed with water (hydropriming) or sodium hydrosulphide (NaHS) solutions (0.1, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mM NaHS) and subsequently dried to initial moisture content. Unprimed (control) and primed seeds were germinated in a growth chamber on paper towels moistened with water or polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 solutions (2.5, 5.0 and 10%), mimicking different drought stress levels. To evaluate the response of the primed seeds to drought in the germination stage, the germination energy (GE), germination rate (SG), seedling fresh mass (SW), hydrogen peroxide and free proline content (PRO), as well as lipid peroxidation rate (malondialdehyde; MDA) were established. The results show strong effects of the imposed drought stress and the metabolic response to oxidative stress through lower germinability and proline accumulation in seedlings. NaHS priming showed some positive effects on seed germination depending on stress level and the concentration of NaHS. Sunflower seeds were also germinated in pots filled with soil, at optimal (70% of field water capacity [FWC 70%]) and drought conditions (FWC 30%), in natural outdoors conditions. When plantlets developed the first pair of leaves, the number of plants (emergence rate [ER]), shoot mass (SM) and leaves mass (LM) were determined, as well as the total activities of catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione reductase (GR) and dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR). There was a significant influence of an interaction between drought stress and priming, whereas drought stress inhibited plant emergence and early growth (SW and LW), and strong antioxidative enzymatic response to drought stress was clearly established in the leaves. Although seed priming showed some influence on enzyme activities, it was mostly related to seed hydropriming effects, while NaHS seed priming was less effective, influencing only DHAR. Altogether, the results imply that sunflower seed priming with NaHS may not have a prolonged impact on the antioxidative defence mechanism based on CAT and ascorbate/glutathione cycle during sunflower early growth in drought conditions.

Uniform Water Potential Induced by Salt, Alkali, and Drought Stresses Has Different Impacts on the Seedling of Hordeum jubatum: From Growth, Photosynthesis, and Chlorophyll Fluorescence

“…The early seedling stage is an extremely crucial period of plants, and is susceptible to the adverse environments ( Wang et al, 2019 ; Ocvirk et al, 2020 ; Ren et al, 2020 ). During this period, water absorption is a determining factor and it regulates various physiological processes in the plant ( Klugl and Di Pietro, 2021 ).…”

Hydrogen sulfide: an emerging component against abiotic stress in plants

“…Safflower plants pretreated with 0.5 mM NaHS were less affected by oxidative stress because of increased accumulation of secondary metabolites and stronger oxidative defence (Amir et al 2021). However, when sunflower seeds were primed with NaHS, this did not have a persistent impact on the antioxidative defence system during early growth under drought conditions (Ocvirk et al 2021). Batista et al (2020) reported different physiological and biochemical impacts of H 2 S, zinc sulfate and potassium phosphite on soybean plants under drought conditions.…”

“…However, when sunflower seeds were primed with NaHS, this did not have a persistent impact on the antioxidative defence system during early growth under drought conditions (Ocvirk et al . 2021).…”

Effects of Priming on Seed Germination, Physico-Chemistry and Yield of Late Sown Wheat Crop (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.)

“…Effect of the seed priming on early growth and germination of the seeds of Helianthus annus L. was studied in which priming with hydrosulphide was carried out in drought conditions. it was observed that relation between the drought stress and germination of seeds, where the drought conditions were inhibited, early germination of seeds were recorded [20]. Various studies have been carried out in various parts of the world regarding impact of climate change on tree species, endangered ornamental species and tree species which signifies the importance of such studies which are related with the development of cheaper methodologies for the germination of the seeds in rapidly changing environmental conditions few examples of are reported in the following lines.…”