Seed priming with seaweed extract mitigate heat stress in spinach: effect on germination, seedling growth and antioxidant capacity

Abstract

Spinach seeds are sensitive to high temperatures during germination and plant growth.It is known that seed priming with water or with seaweed extract (SWE) may enhance germination and seedling growth. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of seed priming with SWE (Ascophyllum nodosum) on the germination, seedling growth and antioxidant capacity of spinach seedlings under conditions of heat stress. Five concentrations of SWE (0.0, 0.15, 0.30, 0.60 and 1.2%) were used for priming the seeds under two temperatures (15 and 30 °C). Seeds primed with 0.3% SWE had the greatest activity of antioxidant metabolism and showed improved germination percentage, germination speed and seedling vigor under conditions of heat stress (30 °C) compared to nonprimed controls. Hydropriming and priming with 0.3% SWE resulted in lower contents of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and malondialdehyde (MDA) under heat stress than control (nonprimed spinach seeds). This study showed that seed priming with SWE was effective to mitigate stress due to high temperatures and to improve spinach seed germination and seedling vigor.

Biostimulants for the Regulation of Reactive Oxygen Species Metabolism in Plants under Abiotic Stress

“…Seaweed extracts (SWE) derived by extracting several macroalgae species are now widely used substances having the potentiality to reduce adversity of abiotic stress, thus enhancing plant productivity [129]. Anjos Neto et al [130] experimented with five concen-trations of A. nodosum SWE in spinach seedlings under HT (30 • C) and observed that in both non-stressed and HT-stressed conditions, MDA and H 2 O 2 contents were reduced due to the application of 0.30% SWE. Furthermore, improved activity of antioxidant enzymes were also observed with SWE which could have reduced the oxidative degradation by lower MDA content and cell oxidative damage under HTs.…”