An impact of seed priming on disease resistance: A review

Abstract

Seed priming is basically a physiological seed quality enhancement method which offers a hydration treatment that allows controlled imbibition and induction of the pre-germinative metabolism (activation), but radicle emergence is prevented. The beneficial effects of this technology are greater cellular membrane integrity, counter action of lipid peroxidation, antipathogenic effects, repair of biochemical lesions by the cellular enzymatic repair system and the metabolic removal of toxic substances. Disease is the disorder of the structure or function of a particular system, caused mainly with the aid of fungi, bacteria, viruses and nematodes. Wilt, blight, blast, rust, canker, decay, root diseases, etc. represent the common diseases of plants that cause a reduction in their yield. To get rid of plant diseases a number of fungicides, bactericides, etc. are in use, which impose their residual effects on the users of the plant parts. Consequently, a number of hazardous effects are also noted in human beings. To avoid this kind of hazardous effects on mankind, originated from the residual effects of different kinds of pesticide, an alternative measure must be taken into consideration. In this respect, different kinds of seed priming like hydro-priming, bio priming, osmo-priming, matrix priming and halo-priming can be adopted. Collar rot (Sclerotium rolfsii) in chickpea, yellow mosaic virus of mung bean and downy mildew of pearl millet are found to decrease with the use of hydro-primed seeds whereas the use of Trichoderma in the form of bio priming has controlled the cowpea root rot pathogens. Salicylic acid alone or in combination with magnesium nitrate (Mg(NO3)2) induced resistance in groundnut and mustard plants against Alternaria alternate and Alternaria brassicae. Hence, the review frames a norm to work out the effects of seed priming towards the pathogen-related defence mechanism because seed-priming technology offers a number of benefits and helps to minimize pollution in different ways.