Seed Biopriming: A Sustainable Solution for Enhancing Seed Vigor and Crop Productivity
摘要
Biopriming of seeds is an innovative approach that combines microbial inoculation with seed hydration. It has become a potent technique to enhance seed quality and crop resilience to climatic aberrations. Coating seeds with microorganisms like Trichoderma, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and other plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) enhances germination, vigor, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. These microbes promote growth by supporting nutrient uptake, producing plant hormones, and boosting plant defense through symbiotic relationships with microorganisms. Microbial agents produce enzymes that break down seed reserves during biopriming and improve early seedling growth. The physiological changes such as increased metabolic activity, improved enzyme function, and elevated antioxidant production, enhance the stress tolerance and produce stronger seedlings. Bioprimed seeds show quicker and more synchronized germination, especially under stress conditions like high salinity and drought. This technique benefits agricultural crops like wheat, barley, and sunflower as well as forestry and horticultural species, making it versatile across ecosystems. The bioprimers enhance nutrient efficiency along with the pesticidal effect which reduces the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides, encouraging environmentally friendly farming practices. Overall, biopriming is a novel, non-chemical method that can improve crop productivity, increase stress resilience, and support sustainable agriculture, offering significant promise for future agricultural innovations.