Physiological, Biochemical and Molecular Mechanisms of Seed Priming: A Review

Abstract

Legumes being a major source of protein have a wide range of economic importance. But the major constraints in growing legumes are poor germination, seedling emergence, non uniform stand establishment and crop mortality leading to lower pulse productivity. Thus, pre-sowing seed treatments are critical parameters which attribute to efficient plant growth and high yield. Uniform seed germination, seedling growth and uniform establishment are the critical stages during the growth of crops. Seed priming is a very promising presowing treatment employed to improve seed germination, better crop establishment, enhance the seed quality and induces tolerance against biotic and abiotic stresses in plants thereby providing a balanced healthy diet to the citizens. Priming is a cost effective and feasible strategy involving controlled hydration of seeds followed by drying to stimulate the pre-germinative metabolic activities to occur promoting rapid germination of seedlings, break dormancy and enhance crop yield. Enzymatic, metabolic and biochemical processes of the primed seeds attributes to rapid and uniform seedling emergence. Seed priming methods comprises of conventional methods including hydro priming, osmopriming, biopriming, chemical priming and the advanced methods including nano priming and priming with physical agents. In this review paper, the underlying physiological, biochemical and molecular aspects of priming in pulses were discussed.