Abstract
Seed enhancement technologies such as seed priming and seed coating, developed by the agricultural seed industry, are standard procedures for the majority of crop and horticultural seeds. However, such technologies are only just being evaluated for native plant seeds despite the potential benefits of such treatments for improving restoration effectiveness. Key approaches applicable to native seed include: (1) seed priming, where seeds are hydrated under controlled conditions, and (2) seed coating, in which external materials and compounds are applied onto seeds through a diversity of treatments. These technologies are commonly employed to accelerate and synchronize germination and to improve seed vigor, seedling emergence, establishment, and to facilitate mechanized seed delivery to site, through standardizing seed size and shape. Seed enhancement technologies have now been tested on native seeds to overcome logistical and ecological barriers in restoration. However, further research is needed to extend the application of seed enhancements to a broader array of species, ecosystems, and regions as well as to evaluate new and innovative approaches such as the incorporation of beneficial soil microorganisms and plant growth regulators in the coatings. As techniques in native seed enhancement develop, these approaches need to be capable of being scaled‐up to provide the tonnages of seed required for global restoration.
Highlights
Seeds are the most cost-effective option for ecological restoration compared with the planting of seedlings, at larger scales or in highly biodiverse ecosystems (Pérez et al 2019)
The aim of this review is to present a broad and practical overview of the currently available seed enhancement technologies developed in agriculture and provide examples of how such technologies have been applied in the context of ecological restoration
The success of large-scale restoration using direct seeding will continue to depend on efficient and effective seed use. Though in their infancy in ecological restoration, are likely to provide major improvements in field establishment akin to that achieved for crop species
Summary
Seeds are the most cost-effective option for ecological restoration compared with the planting of seedlings, at larger scales or in highly biodiverse ecosystems (Pérez et al 2019). The high failure rates in seed-based restoration have been attributed to physiological, logistical, and ecologicalenvironmental factors. These include low seed viability, Author contributions: SP, OK conceived the concepts; SP structured the manuscript and coordinated the authors; AB, SH, OK wrote the seed priming section; SP, MM, KB wrote the seed coating section; KD, SP finalized the manuscript; all authors provided edits and comments and participated in the revision of to the manuscript
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