Promoting Wheat Growth by Priming Grains with Water Extracts of Nostoc muscorum and Arthrospira platensis

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate different priming treatments for wheat grains with Nostoc muscorum, and Arthrospira platensis water extracts for different periods (2, 6, and 12 h). The results showed that priming treatments for 12 h induced growth parameters of the emerging wheat seedlings (lengths of shoot and root, and their fresh and dry weights). Also, pigments, carbohydrates, and proteins content were improved in response to different priming treatments. The highest estimates of all measured parameters are recorded for A. platensis water extract followed by N. muscorum water extract and finally for tryptophan (as a synthetic growth stimulator). Biochemical analyses of A. platensis water extract showed the presence of secondary metabolites as phenolic and flavonoid compounds. Such compounds may be responsible for the antioxidant activity of A. platensis water extract which was determined by using DPPH, hydrogen peroxide, and phosphomolybdenum radical scavenging assays. Furthermore, A. platensis water extract was subjected to gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analyses which indicates the presence of different bioactive compounds in this extract, mainly 2-Pentanone, 4-hydroxy-4-methyl-, 3,7,11,15-Tetramethyl-2-hexadecane-1-ol, and 3-Amino-2,3-dihydrobenzoic acid. These components, in addition to other detected ones, may be acted synergistically to promote the growth of the wheat seedlings compared to the tested controls.