Enhancing Germination and Establishment of Cereals Through Chemical Priming

The American Journal of Applied Sciences

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TYPE

Original Research

PAGE NO.

01-06

OPEN ACCESS

SUBMITED

16 March 2025

ACCEPTED

12 April 2025

PUBLISHED

11 May 2025

VOLUME

Vol.07 Issue 05 2025

CITATION

Dr. Emily Rodriguez, Mariana Oliveira, & Rafael Costa. (2025). Enhancing
Germination and Establishment of Cereals Through Chemical Priming.
The American Journal of Applied Sciences, 7(05), 1

–

6. Retrieved from

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COPYRIGHT

© 2025 Original content from this work may be used under the terms
of the creative commons attributes 4.0 License.

Enhancing Germination
and Establishment of
Cereals Through Chemical
Priming

Dr. Emily Rodriguez

Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences, South Valley Research
Institute, São Paulo, Brazil

Mariana Oliveira

Department of Crop Improvement, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA),
Lavras, Brazil

Rafael Costa

Student of Plant Biotechnology, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo,
Brazil

Abstract:

Seed priming, a pre-sowing treatment,

enhances germination and seedling establishment in
various crops, particularly cereals. This review
examines the role of chemical priming agents in
modulating germination responses in cereal crops. We
explore the physiological and biochemical mechanisms
involved, focusing on how specific chemical compounds
improve germination rate, uniformity, and stress
tolerance. The impact of chemical priming on crop
establishment under both optimal and adverse
environmental conditions is discussed, along with its
implications for agricultural productivity.

Keywords:

Cereal crops, seed priming, chemical

priming, germination enhancement, seedling vigor,
crop

establishment,

abiotic

stress

tolerance,

agricultural productivity, sustainable agriculture, seed
treatment technologies.

Introduction:

Cereal crops (e.g., wheat, rice, maize) are

fundamental to global food security. Achieving optimal
crop establishment, defined as the successful
emergence and development of seedlings, is crucial for
maximizing yield potential. However, various factors,
including suboptimal soil conditions, water stress, and
salinity, can hinder seed germination and early seedling
growth. Seed priming, a pre-sowing treatment that
involves controlled hydration and dehydration, has
emerged as a valuable technique to improve

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The American Journal of Applied Sciences

germination

performance

and

enhance

crop

establishment (Ashraf & Foolad, 2005; Bewley et al.,
2013; Copeland & McDonald, 2012).

Chemical priming, a specific type of seed priming,
utilizes various inorganic or organic compounds to
trigger pre-germinative metabolic activities without
radicle protrusion. This review focuses on the role of
chemical priming agents in modulating germination
responses in cereal crops. It examines the mechanisms
by which these agents enhance germination rate,
uniformity, and stress tolerance, ultimately leading to
improved crop establishment.

Cereal crops, including wheat (Triticum aestivum), rice
(Oryza sativa), maize (Zea mays), barley (Hordeum
vulgare), and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), form the
cornerstone of global food production, contributing to
more than half of the caloric intake for the human
population. Ensuring the successful establishment of
these crops is vital not only for maximizing agricultural
productivity but also for achieving global food security,
especially in the face of climate change, population
growth, and diminishing arable land resources.

Seed germination and seedling emergence represent
the first and most vulnerable stages in the life cycle of

cereal crops. Poor germination and uneven seedling
establishment can significantly reduce plant stand
density, leading to substantial yield losses. Various
abiotic stresses

—

including drought, salinity, low and

high temperature extremes, and soil-borne diseases

—

commonly impair seed germination and early growth,
posing a major challenge to farmers worldwide.
Traditional agronomic practices, such as adjusting
planting dates or irrigation regimes, are often
insufficient to mitigate these early-stage vulnerabilities,
prompting the need for innovative solutions at the seed
level.

One promising approach that has emerged over recent
decades is seed priming

—

a controlled hydration

technique that initiates pre-germinative metabolic
processes without completing germination. Among the
various types of priming, chemical seed priming
involves the soaking of seeds in solutions containing
chemical agents that can enhance seed vigor, metabolic
activity, and stress tolerance. Unlike simple water
priming (hydropriming), chemical priming introduces
bioactive substances that can modulate physiological
and biochemical pathways, giving the seed a significant
advantage upon sowing.

Figure 1. List of chemical and non-chemical seed priming methods.

The mechanisms by which chemical priming enhances
seed performance are multifaceted. Primed seeds
often exhibit faster water uptake, improved
mobilization of stored food reserves, enhanced
antioxidant defense systems, and better hormonal
balance, all of which contribute to faster and more
uniform

germination.

Moreover,

priming

can

"condition" seeds to tolerate adverse environmental
conditions, effectively acting as a pre-sowing stress-
hardening treatment. Agents commonly used for

chemical priming include potassium nitrate (KNO₃),
calcium chloride (CaCl₂), gibberellic acid (GA₃),

hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and polyethylene glycol

(PEG), each offering specific physiological benefits.

Despite its advantages, the adoption of chemical seed
priming remains limited in large-scale cereal farming
due to factors such as lack of standardized protocols,
concerns over chemical residues, and varying
effectiveness depending on crop genotype and
environmental context. Therefore, further research
and field validation are critical to refine priming
techniques, identify crop-specific optimal treatments,
and integrate priming into sustainable farming
practices.

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In this article, we comprehensively review the role of
chemical seed priming in enhancing cereal crop
establishment. We focus on the mechanisms of action,
effectiveness

across

different

cereal

species,

physiological and biochemical changes induced by
priming agents, and the challenges and future
prospects of this promising technology.

METHODS

This review synthesizes findings from studies
investigating the effects of chemical priming on cereal
seed germination and seedling establishment. The
search strategy involved a systematic review of
scientific literature using databases. Key search terms
included "seed priming," "chemical priming," "cereal
crops," "germination," "seedling establishment,"
"stress tolerance," and specific chemical agents (e.g.,
"potassium nitrate," "salicylic acid").

The review focuses on studies that:

•

Examined the effects of chemical priming on

cereal crops (wheat, rice, maize, etc.).

•

Investigated the physiological and biochemical

mechanisms

underlying

priming-induced

improvements.

•

Evaluated the impact of chemical priming

under both optimal and stress conditions.

Results

Chemical priming has been shown to improve cereal
seed germination and seedling establishment through
several mechanisms:

•

Enhanced enzyme activity: Priming activates

enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism, leading
to faster mobilization of seed reserves (Aghbolaghi &
Sedghi, 2014; Varier et al., 2010).

•

Increased antioxidant capacity: Chemical

priming can enhance the levels of antioxidant enzymes,
protecting seedlings from oxidative stress (Jamal et al.,
2011; Mazhar et al., 2022).

•

Improved osmotic adjustment: Some priming

agents facilitate osmotic adjustment, enabling seeds to
germinate under water stress or saline conditions
(Bakht et al., 2011; Tavili et al., 2011).

•

Hormonal modulation: Priming can influence

the levels of plant hormones like abscisic acid and
gibberellins, promoting germination (Abiri et al. 2016).

Specific chemical agents and their effects:

•

Potassium

nitrate

(KNO3):

Improves

germination

rate

and

uniformity

in

rice

(Ruttanaruangboworn et al., 2017).

•

Salicylic acid: Enhances stress tolerance and

seedling vigor in wheat (Salehzade et al., 2009).

•

Moringa leaf extract: Improves germination of

maize seeds (Afzal et al., 2012; Basra et al., 2011).

•

Calcium

oxide

nanoparticles:

Improves

germination under drought stress (Mazhar et al., 2022)

Priming enhances germination under both normal and
stress conditions, including drought (Aryal et al., 2018;
Asaduzzaman et al., 2021), salinity (Aymen & Cherif,
2013; Jafar et al., 2012; Mahara et al. 2022), and low
temperature (Afzal et al., 2008).

DISCUSSION

The reviewed studies demonstrate that chemical seed
priming is an effective strategy for improving
germination and seedling establishment in cereal
crops. By modulating key physiological and biochemical
processes,

chemical

priming

agents

enhance

germination rate, uniformity, and stress tolerance.

The benefits of chemical priming translate to improved
crop establishment, particularly under adverse
environmental conditions. This can lead to:

•

Increased seedling vigor: Primed seeds produce

more robust seedlings with enhanced growth potential
(Anwar et al., 2021; Mim et al. 2021).

•

Uniform emergence: Synchronized emergence

improves crop management and resource utilization.

•

Higher yield potential: Improved crop

establishment contributes to increased grain yield
(Farooq et al., 2006, 2007; Mahajan et al., 2011; Singh
et al. 2023).

•

Enhanced stress tolerance: Priming can

mitigate the negative effects of environmental stresses,
stabilizing yield under fluctuating conditions.

Chemical priming is relatively simple, cost-effective,
and can be easily adopted by farmers (Harris et al.,
2016; Musa et al. 1999; Raj & Raj, 2019). Further
research should focus on optimizing priming protocols
for specific cereal varieties and environmental
conditions, as well as exploring novel priming agents
and delivery methods (Ejaz et al., 2019; Sarfraz et al.,
2019; Waqas et al. 2019; Zulfiqar, 2021).

CONCLUSION

Chemical seed priming is a valuable tool for enhancing
germination and seedling establishment in cereal
crops. By improving germination rate, uniformity, and
stress tolerance, chemical priming contributes to
improved crop establishment and ultimately, increased
agricultural productivity.

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