Seed priming with Mg(NO3)2 and ZnSO4 salts triggers physio-biochemical and antioxidant defense to induce water stress adaptation in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

Wheat is a widely grown cereal crop that provides >20% daily protein intake and calories worldwide. Drought stress drastically affects the crucial physiological (relative water content; RWC), biochemical (proline content), and molecular attributes in wheat plants from germination to maturity stage and ultimately reduces the yield and quality traits. Given this, the present work was conducted to know the effect of salt seed priming on wheat crop. For this, we have used two wheat variety HUW-468 (V1), and HUW-510 (V2) primed with water (T2), Mg(NO3)2 (T3), ZnSO4 (T4), and combinations of Mg(NO3)2 and ZnSO4 salt (T5) with non-primed seed (T1) under water stress (W1) and control (W0) conditions. We have observed significant differences in plant height (84 to 90 cm), leaf number, total leaf area (431.82 to 505.46 cm2 plant−1), relative water content, chlorophyll content (4.78 to 5.86 mg g−1fresh weight), membrane stability index (MSI) (56.25 to 61.42%), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (133.47 to 150.10), MDA content, proline content (101.64 to 100.46), nitrate reductase activity (NRA), and nutrient (N, Zn, and Fe) contents under control and stress conditions. These results concluded that seed priming with a combination of Mg(NO3)2 and ZnSO4 salt is best for improved wheat crop traits under drought stress compared to individual salt and non-priming treatments. Overall, this analysis elucidated that seed priming strengthens the antioxidant capacity under drought conditions by enhancing antioxidant enzymes and alleviating oxidative stress.

Keywords

• Antioxidant enzymes
• Seed priming
• Drought stress
• Plant defense
• Oxidative stress