Evaluation of proline functions in saline conditions.

Effects, tolerance mechanisms and management of salt stress in grain legumes.

Seed priming is a presowing technique in which seeds are moderately hydrated to the point where pregermination metabolic processes begin without actual germination. Seeds are then redried to near their actual weight for normal handling. Seeds can be soaked in tap water (hydropriming), aerated low-water potential solutions of polyethylene glycol or salt solutions (KNO3, KH2PO4, KCl, NaCl, CaCl2 or MgSO4; osmopriming), plant growth regulators, polyamines (hormonal priming), plant growth-promoting bacteria (biopriming), macro or micronutrients (nutripriming) or some plant-based natural extracts. Here, we review: (1) seed priming as a simple and effective approach for improving stand establishment, economic yields and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses in various crops by inducing a series of biochemical, physiological, molecular and subcellular changes in plants; (2) the tendency for seed priming to reduce the longevity of high-vigour seeds and improve the longevity of low-vigour seeds; (3) the advantages of physical methods of seed priming to enhance plant production over conventional methods based on the application of different chemical substances; (4) the various physical methods (e.g. magneto-priming and ionising radiation, including gamma rays, ultraviolet (UV) rays (UVA, UVC) and X-rays) available that are the most promising presowing seed treatments to improve crop productivity under stressful conditions; and (5) effective seed priming techniques for micronutrient delivery at planting in field crops. Seed priming as a cost-effective approach is being used for different crops and in different countries to improve yield, as a complementary strategy to grain biofortification and in genetically improved crop varieties to enhance their performance under stress conditions, including submergence and low phosphorus. Some of the challenges to the broad commercial adaption of seed priming include longevity of seeds after conventional types of priming under ambient storage conditions and a lack of studies on hermetic packaging materials for extended storage.

Seed priming in field crops: potential benefits, adoption and challenges

Effect of seed priming on horticultural crops

In this study, we evaluated antioxidant, antihyperuricemic, and herbicidal activities of essential oils (EOs) from Piper cubeba Bojer and Piper nigrum L.; two pepper species widely distributed in tropics, and examined their chemical compositions. Dried berries of P. cubeba and P. nigrum were hydro-distilled to yield essential oil (EO) of 1.23 and 1.11% dry weight, respectively. In the antioxidant assay, the radical scavenging capacities of P. cubeba EO against DPPH and ABTS free radicals were 28.69 and 24.13% greater than P. nigrum, respectively. In the antihyperuricemic activity, P. cubeba EO also exhibited stronger inhibitory effects on xanthine oxidase (IC50 = 54.87 µg/mL) than P. nigrum EO (IC50 = 77.11 µg/mL). In the herbicidal activity, P. cubeba EO showed greater inhibition on germination and growth of Bidens pilosa and Echinochloa crus-galli than P. nigrum EO. Besides, P. cubeba EO decreased 15.98–73.00% of photosynthesis pigments of B. pilosa and E. crus-galli, while electrolyte leakages, lipid peroxidations, prolines, phenolics, and flavonoids contents were increased 10.82–80.82% at 1.93 mg/mL dose. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) analyses revealed that P. nigrum and P. cubeba EOs principally possessed complex mixtures of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. Terpinen-4-ol (42.41%), α-copaene (20.04%), and γ-elemene (17.68%) were the major components of P. cubeba EO, whereas β-caryophyllene (51.12%) and β-thujene (20.58%) were the dominant components of P. nigrum EO. Findings of this study suggest both P. cubeba and P. nigrum EOs were potential to treat antioxidative stress and antihyperuricemic related diseases. In addition, the EOs of the two plants may be useful to control B. pilosa and E. crus-galli, the two invasive and problematic weeds in agriculture practice.

https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/24/10/1876/pdf

Biological Activities and Chemical Constituents of Essential Oils from Piper cubeba Bojer and Piper nigrum L.

Improvement of Pisum sativum salt stress tolerance by bio-priming their seeds using Typha angustifolia leaves aqueous extract

Variation in phytochemical constituents and allelopathic potential of Nigella sativa with developmental stages

SummaryCassia absus L. is a medicinal plant with commercial value. In order to establish a protocol for its regeneration from nodal explants, C. absus was proliferated in vitro using 1.0_ Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 3% (w/v) sucrose, 0.8% (w/v) agar, 0.05% (w/v) charcoal, and different concentrations of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), kinetin, zeatin, or isopentenyl adenine (2iP) under controlled temperature, humidity, and light conditions. Shoot induction was achieved at various rates on all media tested. MS medium containing 0.5 mg l-1 BAP gave the optimum results for shoot initiation and proliferation, with an average shoot length of 12.4 mm and an average of 2.7 leaves per shoot.The effect of 0.5 mg l-1 BAP combined with 0.1 mg l-1 gibberellic acid (GA3) was also tested under the same conditions to improve growth and increase shoot length. Shoots induced on this medium were significantly longer (13.4 mm) with more leaves (3.3 per shoot) than on 1.0_ MS medium containing 0.5 mg l-1 BAP alone....

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Papers

Improvement of Pisum sativum salt stress tolerance by bio-priming their seeds using Typha angustifolia leaves aqueous extract

Variation in phytochemical constituents and allelopathic potential of Nigella sativa with developmental stages

In vitro regeneration of the medicinal plant Cassia absus L.

Physiological and biochemical responses of two lentil varieties to chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) aqueous extracts

Phytotoxic activity and chemical composition of Cassia absus seeds and aerial parts.