Seed priming: Implication in agriculture to manage salinity stress in crops

Abstract

Crop plants are important drivers in maintaining the food and energy needs of human beings and livestock. The leading abiotic challenges which correspond to substantially low production of major crops are soil salinity, drought, heat fluctuations, and contaminated soils. Their ample production is particularly necessary to feed the growing human population of the world under multiple abiotic agricultural challenges. Elevation in the production of agricultural crops strongly adheres to the sustainable management of the imposed challenges which needs extensive knowledge about the nature of challenges and appropriate counteracting methods. Seed priming which involves pretreatment of seeds with physical or chemical agents is an effective strategy to overcome the negative consequences of abiotic challenges (salinity, heat, drought, etc.) and results in improved growth, physiological performance and production output of crops. Seed priming improves the ability of seeds to respond effectively to impending stress by stimulating the metabolic events, water absorption potentials, repair in necessary molecules, and regulation of the stress encountering substances in seeds. Nature of the pretreatment agents, duration of the priming exposure, and species types of crop plants are important factors in the successful employment of seed priming in agriculture. Economic feasibility and ease in usability can create an enormous space for priming techniques as "stress alleviators" in the production of agricultural crops. This chapter focuses on seed priming techniques and their role in minimizing the adverse effects of salinity stress on major filed crops.