Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants by Priming and Pretreatments with Phytohormones

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Priming and Pretreatment of Seeds and Seedlings

Abstract

Seed priming and seedling pretreatments improve the stand establishment seedling growth by improving nutrient accumulation in roots/shoots, and the activity of antioxidant enzymes thus enhance tolerance against multiple abiotic stresses including drought, extreme temperature, salinity, toxic metal/metalloid(s), waterlogging, etc., which are threatening the productivity of agronomic and horticultural crops across the globe. The phytohormones involved in complex mechanisms including plant metabolic activities and signaling pathways, thus reducing generation of free radical and activation of defense mechanism against abiotic stresses. Many studies have reported that seed priming with plant hormones (especially gibberellic acid, cytokinins, abscisic acid, brassinosteroids, jasmonic acid, polyamines, salicylic acid) at low concentration might be useful to improve the crop establishment, leaf/shoot/root growth, and productivity of diverse crop biotypes under abiotic stresses. However, the role of seed priming with plant hormones in improving the crop performance under heat stress and waterlogging stress has rarely been investigated, which needs the further attention of crop scientists. In this chapter, we have reviewed and accumulated the recent advances in plant science regarding seed priming and pretreatment with phytohormones to enhance crop tolerance against multiple abiotic stresses.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Abraha B, Yohannes G (2013) The role of seed priming in improving seedling growth of maize (Zea mays L.) under salt stress at field conditions. Agric Sci 4:666–672

    Google Scholar 

  • Afzal I, Basra SMA, Farooq M, Nawaz A (2006) Alleviation of salinity stress in spring wheat by hormonal priming with ABA, salicylic acid and ascorbic acid. Int J Agric Biol 8(1):23–28

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Afzal I, Munir F, Ayub CM, Basra SMA, Hameed A, Nawaz A (2009) Changes in antioxidant enzymes, germination capacity and vigour of tomato seeds in response of priming with polyamines. Seed Sci Technol 37(3):765–770

    Google Scholar 

  • Ahmad I, Ahmad TKA, Basra SMA, Hasnain Z, Ali A (2012) Effect of seed priming with ascorbic acid, salicylic acid and hydrogen peroxide on emergence, vigor and antioxidant activities of maize. Afr J Biotechnol 11(5):1127–1137

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ahmad I, Basra SMA, Hussain S, Hussain SA, Hafeez-ur-rehman RA, Ali A (2015) Priming with ascorbic acid, salicylic acid and hydrogen peroxide improves seedling growth of spring maize at suboptimal temperature. J Environ Agric Sci 3:14–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Hakimi AMA, Hamada AM (2001) Counteraction of salinity stress on wheat plants by grain soaking in ascorbic acid, thiamin or sodium salicylate. Biol Plant 44:253–261

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ansari O, Azadi MS, Sharif-zadeh F, Younesi E (2013) Effect of hormone priming on germination characteristics and enzyme activity of mountain rye (Secalemontanum) seeds under drought stress conditions. J Stress Physiol Biochem 9:61–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Ashraf M, Foolad RM (2005) Pre-sowing seed treatment - a shotgun approach to improve germination, plant growth and crop yield under saline and non-saline conditions. Adv Agron 88:223–271

    Google Scholar 

  • Azooz MM (2009) Salt stress mitigation by seed priming with salicylic acid in two faba bean genotypes differing in salt tolerance. Int J Agric Biol 11:343–350

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Azooz MM, Alzahrani AM, Youssef MM (2013) The potential role of seed priming with ascorbic acid and nicotinamide and their interactions to enhance salt tolerance in broad bean (Viciafaba L.). Aust J Crop Sci 7(13):2091

    Google Scholar 

  • Balki AS, Padole VR (1982) Effect of pre-soaking seed treatments with plant hormones on wheat under conditions of soil salinity. J Indian Soc Soil Sci 30:361–365

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barceló JUAN, Poschenrieder C (1990) Plant water relations as affected by heavy metal stress: a review. J Plant Nutr 13(1):1–37

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bray EA, Bailey-Serres J, Weretilnyk E (2000) Responses to abiotic stresses. In: Gruissem W, Buchannan B, Jones R (eds) Biochemistry and molecular biology of plants. American Society of Plant Physiologists, Rockville, MD, pp 1158–1249

    Google Scholar 

  • Carvalho RF, Piotto FA, Schmidt D, Peters LP, Monteiro CC, Azevedo RA (2011) Seed priming with hormones does not alleviate induced oxidative stress in maize seedlings subjected to salt stress. Sci Agric 68(5):598–602

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng C, Yun KY, Ressom HW, Mohanty B, Bajic VB, Jia Y et al (2007) An early response regulatory cluster induced by low temperature and hydrogen peroxide in seedlings of chilling-tolerant japonica rice. BMC Genomics 8:175

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cruz R, Milach S (2004) Cold tolerance at the germination stage of rice: methods of evaluation and characterization of genotypes. Sci Agric 61:1–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dallali H, Maalej EM, Boughanmi NG, Haouala R (2012) Salicylic acid priming in hedysarum carnosum and hedysarum coronarium reinforces NACL tolerance at germination and the seedling growth stage. Aust J Crop Sci 6(3):407

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Davies PJ (2010) The plant hormones: their nature, occurrence, and functions. In: Plant hormones. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 1–15

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • de Lespinay A, Lequeux H, Lambillotte B, Lutts S (2010) Protein synthesis is differentially required for germination in Poa pratensis and Trifolium repens in the absence or in the presence of cadmium. Plant Growth Regul 61:205–214

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dkhil BB, Issa A, Denden M (2014) Germination and seedling emergence of primed okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) seeds under salt stress and low temperature. Am J Plant Physiol 9:38–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ella ES, Dionisio-Sese ML, Ismail AM (2011) Seed pre-treatment in rice reduces damage, enhances carbohydrate mobilization and improves emergence and seedling establishment under flooded conditions. AoB Plants, 2011

    Google Scholar 

  • Fariduddin Q, Ahmad A, Hayat S (2003) Photosynthetic Response of Vigna radiata to pre-sowing seed treatment with 28-homobrassinolide. Photosynthetica 41:307–310

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Farooq M, Aziz T, Basra SMA, Cheema MA, Rehman H (2008) Chilling tolerance in hybrid maize induced by seed priming with salicylic acid. J Agron Crop Sci 194(2):161–168

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Farooq M, Wahid A, Kobayashi N, Fujita D, Basra SMA (2009a) Plant drought stress: effects, mechanisms and management. Agron Sustain Dev 29:185–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farooq M, Wahid A, Lee DJ (2009b) Exogenously applied polyamines increase drought tolerance of rice by improving leaf water status, photosynthesis and membrane properties. Acta Physiologia Plantarum 31:937–945

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Farooq M, Basra SMA, Wahid A, Ahmad N, Saleem BA (2009c) Improving the drought tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa L.) by exogenous application of salicylic acid. J Agron Crop Sci 195(4):237–246

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Farooq M, Wahid A, Basra SMA (2009d) Improving water relations and gas exchange with brassinosteroids in rice under drought stress. J Agron Crop Sci 195(4):262–269

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Farooq M, Bramley H, Palta JA, Siddique KH (2011) Heat stress in wheat during reproductive and grain-filling phases. Crit Rev Plant Sci 30(6):491–507

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farooq M, Irfan M, Aziz T, Ahmad I, Cheema SA (2013) Seed priming with ascorbic acid improves drought resistance of wheat. J Agron Crop Sci 199(1):12–22

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Galhaut L, de Lespinay A, Walker DJ, Bernal MP, Correal E, Lutts S (2014) Seed priming of Trifolium repens L. improved germination and early seedling growth on heavy metal-contaminated soil. Water Air Soil Pollution 225(4):1905

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ghoohestani A, Gheisary H, Zahedi SM, Dolatkhahi A (2012) Effect of seed priming of tomato with salicylic acid, ascorbic acid and hydrogen peroxide on germination and plantlet growth in saline conditions. Int J Agron Plant Prod 3:700–704

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gulnaz A, Iqbal J, Azam F (1999) Seed treatment with growth regulators and crop productivity. II. Response of critical growth stages of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under salinity stress. Cereal Res Commun 27:419–426

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Han Q, Kang G, Guo T (2013) Proteomic analysis of spring freeze-stress responsive proteins in leaves of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Plant Physiol Biochem 63:236–244

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hasanuzzaman M, Hossain MA, da Silva JAT, Fujita M (2012) Plant response and tolerance to abiotic oxidative stress: antioxidant defense is a key factor. In: Crop stress and its management: perspectives and strategies. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 261–315

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Hasanuzzaman M, Nahar K, Alam M, Roychowdhury R, Fujita M (2013) Physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms of heat stress tolerance in plants. Int J Mol Sci 14(5):9643–9684

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hela M, Zargouni H, Tarchoune I, Baatour O, Nasri N, Ben Massoud R et al (2012) Combined effect of hormonal priming and salt treatments on germination percentage and antioxidant activities in lettuce seedlings. Afr J Biotechnol 11:10373–10380

    Google Scholar 

  • Herzog M, Striker GG, Colmer TD, Pedersen O (2016) Mechanisms of waterlogging tolerance in wheat - A review of root and shoot physiology. Plant Cell Environ 39:1068–1086

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hussain S, Khan F, Hussain HA, Nie L (2016a) Physiological and biochemical mechanisms of seed priming-induced chilling tolerance in rice cultivars. Front Plant Sci 7:116

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hussain S, Yin H, Peng S, Faheem A, Khan FA, Khan F, Sameeullah M, Hussain HA, Huang J, Kehui Cui K, Nie L (2016b) Comparative transcriptional prowling of primed and non-primed rice seedlings under submergence stress. Front Plant Sci 7:1125

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Ibrahim EA (2016) Seed priming to alleviate salinity stress in germinating seeds. J Plant Physiol 192:38–46

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jam BJ, Shekari FARID, Azimi MR, Zangani ESMAEIL (2012) Effect of priming by salicylic acid on germination and seedling growth of safflower seeds under CaCl2 stress. Int J Agri Res Rev 2:1097–1105

    Google Scholar 

  • Jyotsna V, Srivastava AK (1998) Physiological basis of salt stress resistance in pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L.) - II. Pre-sowing seed soaking treatment in regulating early seedling metabolism during seed germination. Plant Physiol Biochem (New Delhi) 25:89–94

    Google Scholar 

  • Kang HM, Saltveit ME (2002) Chilling tolerance of maize, cucumber and rice seedling leaves and roots are differentially affected by salicylic acid. Physiol Plant 115:571–576

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kang J-S, J-L C, Y-O J (1996) Effect of seed priming on the germinability of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) seeds under water and saline stress. J Korean Soc Hort Sci 37:516–521

    Google Scholar 

  • Khan HA, Pervez MA, Ayub CM, Ziaf K, Balal RM, Shahid MA, Akhtar N (2009) Hormonal priming alleviates salt stress in hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). Soil Environ 28(2):130–135

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Korkmaz A (2005) Inclusion of acetyl salicylic acid and methyl jasmonate into the priming solution improves low-temperature germination and emergence of sweet pepper. Hort Sci 40(1):197–200

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Korkmaz A, Tiryaki I, Nas MN, Ozbay N (2004) Inclusion of plant growth regulators into priming solution improves low-temperature germination and emergence of watermelon seeds. Can J Plant Sci 84(4):1161–1165

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Korkmaz A, Uzunlu M, Demirkiran AR (2007) Treatment with acetyl salicylic acid protects muskmelon seedlings against drought stress. Acta Physiol Plant 29(6):503–508

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kosova K, Vitamvas P, Planchon S, Renaut J, Vankova R, Prasil IT (2013) Proteome analysis of cold response in spring and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) crowns reveals similarities in stress adaptation and differences in regulatory processes between the growth habits. J Proteome Res 12:4830–4845

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • KubiÅ› J (2008) Exogenous spermidine differentially alters activities of some scavenging system enzymes, H2O2 and superoxide radical levels in water-stressed cucumber leaves. J Plant Physiol 165(4):397–406

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lamaoui M, Jemo M, Datla R, Bekkaoui F (2018) Heat and drought stresses in crops and approaches for their mitigation. Front Chem 6:26

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li X, Zhang L (2012) SA and PEG-induced priming for water stress tolerance in rice seedling. In: Zhu E, Sambath S (eds) Information technology and agricultural engineering. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. 134: 881–887

    Google Scholar 

  • Munns R, Tester M (2008) Mechanisms of salinity tolerance. Annu Rev Plant Biol 59:651–681

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nagajyoti PC, Lee KD, Sreekanth TVM (2010) Heavy metals, occurrence and toxicity for plants: a review. Environ Chem Lett 8(3):199–216

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nawaz A, Farooq M, Cheema SA, Wahid A (2013) Differential response of wheat cultivars to terminal heat stress. Int J Agric Biol 15:1354–1358

    Google Scholar 

  • Niinemets U (2009) Mild versus severe stress and BVOCs: thresholds, priming and consequences. Trends Plant Sci 15:145–153

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Oliver SN, Dennis ES, Dolferus R (2007) ABA regulates apoplastic sugar transport and is a potential signal for cold-induced pollen sterility in rice. Plant Cell Physiol 48:1319–1330

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Paparella S, Araújo SS, Rossi G, Wijayasinghe M, Carbonera D, Balestrazzi A (2015) Seed priming: state of the art and new perspectives. Plant Cell Rep 34:1281–1293

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Parashar A, Varma SK (1988) Effect of presowing seed soaking in gibberellic acid, duration of soaking, di Verent temperatures and their interaction on seed germination and early seedling growth of wheat under saline conditions. Plant Physiol Biochem (New Delhi) 15:189–197

    Google Scholar 

  • Pouramir-Dashtmian F, Khajel-Hosseini M, Esfahani M (2014) Improving chilling tolerance of rice seedling by seed priming with salicylic acid. Arch Agron Soil Sci 60:1291–1302

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ruelland E, Vaultier MN, Zachowski A, Hurry V (2009) Cold signalling and cold acclimation in plants. Adv Bot Res 49:35–150

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sarkar RK (2012) Seed priming improves agronomic trait performance under flooding and non-flooding conditions in rice with QTL SUB1. Rice Sci 19(4):286–294

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schutzendubel A, Polle A (2002) Plant responses to abiotic stresses: heavy metal-induced oxidative stress and protection by mycorrhization. J Exp Bot 53(372):1351–1365

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sedghi M, Nemati A, Esmaielpour B (2010) Effect of seed priming on germination and seedling growth of two medicinal plants under salinity. Emir J Food Agr 22:130–139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shafi M, Bakht J, Hassan MJ, Raziuddin M, Zhang G (2009) Effect of cadmium and salinity stresses on growth and antioxidant enzyme activities of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 82:772–776

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shannon MC (1997) Adaptation of plants to salinity. Adv Agron 60:75–120

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shrivastava P, Kumar R (2015) Soil salinity: a serious environmental issue and plant growth promoting bacteria as one of the tools for its alleviation. Saudi J Biol Sci 22(2):123–131

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Singh P, Pandurangam V (2015) Evaluation of maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines primed with salicylic acid under low temperature stress. Int J Agric Environ Biotechnol 8(4):867

    Google Scholar 

  • Sneideris LC, Gavassi MA, Campos ML, D’Amico-Damiao V, Carvalho RF (2015) Effects of hormonal priming on seed germination of pigeon pea under cadmium stress. An Acad Bras Cienc 87(3):1847–1852

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Suzuki N, Koussevitzky SHAI, Mittler RON, Miller GAD (2012) ROS and redox signalling in the response of plants to abiotic stress. Plant Cell Environ 35(2):259–270

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tan W, Liu J, Dai T, Jing Q, Cao W, Jiang D (2008) Alterations in photosynthesis and antioxidant enzyme activity in winter wheat subjected to post-anthesis water-logging. Photosynthetica 46:21–27

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vijayaraghavan H (1999) Effect of seed treatment with plant growth regulators on bhendi (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) grown under sodic soil conditions. Madras Agric J 86:247–249

    Google Scholar 

  • Watkins JM, Hechler PJ, Muday GK (2014) Ethylene-induced flavonol accumulation in guard cells suppresses reactive oxygen species and moderates stomatal aperture. Plant Physiol 164:1707–1717

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Xu S, Hu J, Li Y, Ma W, Zheng Y, Zhu S (2011) Chilling tolerance in Nicotiana tabacum induced by seed priming with putrescine. Plant Growth Regul 63:279–290

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yong-Ping G, Bonham-Smith PC, Gusta LV (2002) The role of peroxiredoxin antioxidant and calmodulin in ABA-primed seeds of Brassica napus exposed to abiotic stresses during germination. J Plant Physiol 159(9):951

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yordanov I, Velikova V, Tsonev T (2000) Plant responses to drought, acclimation, and stress tolerance. Photosynthetica 38:171–186

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Younesi O, Moradi A (2014) Effect of priming of seeds of Medicago sativa ‘bami’ with gibberellic acid on germination, seedlings growth and antioxidant enzymes activity under salinity stress. J Hort Res 22(2):167–174

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang S, Hu J, Zhang Y, Xie XJ, Knapp A (2007) Seed priming with brassinolide improves lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) seed germination and seedling growth in relation to physiological changes under salinity stress. Aust J Agric Res 58(8):811–815

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao C, Liu B, Piao S, Wang X, Lobell DB, Huang Y, Huang M, Yao Y, Bassu S, Ciais P, Durand JL (2017) Temperature increase reduces global yields of major crops in four independent 507 estimates. Proc Nat Acad Sci USA 114:9326–9331

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng M, Tao Y, Hussain S, Jiang Q, Peng S, Huang J, Cui K, Nie L (2016) Seed priming in dry direct-seeded rice: consequences for emergence, seedling growth and associated metabolic events under drought stress. Plant Growth Regul 78:167–178

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu JK (2016) Abiotic stress signaling and responses in plants. Cell 167(2):313–324

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Agriculture, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Layyah, Pakistan

    Muhammad Sarfraz, Sajid Hussain, Muhammad Ijaz, Ahmad Nawaz, Tauqeer Ahmad Yasir, Ahmad Sher & Allah Wasaya

  2. Department of Agronomy, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Punjab, Pakistan

    Shakeel Ahmad

Authors
  1. Muhammad Sarfraz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sajid Hussain
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Muhammad Ijaz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ahmad Nawaz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Tauqeer Ahmad Yasir
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Ahmad Sher
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Allah Wasaya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Shakeel Ahmad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shakeel Ahmad .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agronomy, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh

    Mirza Hasanuzzaman

  2. Department of Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology and Food Science, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus

    Vasileios Fotopoulos

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Sarfraz, M. et al. (2019). Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants by Priming and Pretreatments with Phytohormones. In: Hasanuzzaman, M., Fotopoulos, V. (eds) Priming and Pretreatment of Seeds and Seedlings. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-8625-1_22

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation