Seed Priming: A Potential Supplement in Integrated Resource Management Under Fragile Intensive Ecosystems

Abstract

A majority of agricultural activities are conducted under fragile lands or set-up. The growth and development of crops are negatively affected due to several biotic and abiotic stresses. In the current situation, research efforts have been diverted toward the short-term approaches that can improve crop performance under changing environments. Seed treatment or priming technology is in a transition phase of its popularity among resource-poor farmers. Suitable policy intervention can boost low-cost techniques to implement them on a larger scale in developing countries and to harness the maximum benefits of sustainable food production systems. Primed seeds have high vigor and germination rate that help in seedling growth and successful crop stand establishment under stress conditions. This review is attempted to assess different seed priming techniques in terms of resource use efficiency, crop productivity, cost–benefit balance, and environmental impacts. Moreover, a comprehensive study of the mechanisms (physiological and biochemical) of seed priming is also elaborated. A detailed examination of the applications of priming technology under diverse agroecosystems can improve our understanding of the adaptive management of natural resources.

The comparative effects of manganese nanoparticles and their counterparts (bulk and ionic) in Artemisia annua plants via seed priming and foliar application

“…The early responses of priming with Mn species were analyzed by germination-related parameters and the overall output confirms the critical role of seed-priming strategies (Devika et al, 2021). To further clarify the long-term responses of Mn-priming, the seedlings were grown for 120 days and then plant growth, physio-biochemical attributes were analyzed during this time.…”

Biomaterials Technology for AgroFood Resilience

“…Seed priming is an extensively studied presowing seed treatment that allows for controlled hydration of seeds to imbibe water and to begin some pre‐germination metabolism without actual occurrence of germination and radicle emergence. [ 20 ] Depending on the priming media used to soak the seeds, seed priming is categorized into multiple types—hydropriming, osmopriming, halopriming, hormonal priming, solid matrix priming, biopriming, and the emerging nanopriming. [ 21 ] Hydropriming refers to soaking seeds in tap water with or without aeration followed by air dry, [ 22,23 ] which is the simplest and most commonly used presowing treatment by farmers.…”

Molecular dynamics of seed priming at the crossroads between basic and applied research

“…The renewed potential of seed priming to overcome severe drawbacks is particularly visible when seeds are used in fragile agroecosystems (Singh et al 2020 ; Devika et al 2021 ). This leads to further open questions: How to enhance the potential of underutilized germplasm resources?…”