Seed Priming Toward Enhanced Chilling Tolerance in Field Crops: An Overview

Abstract

Abiotic stresses are the most important limiting factors for crop productivity worldwide in the wake of climatic change. Among the various kinds of abiotic stresses, chilling is one of the important components that limit the growth and final productivity of field crops. Chilling-induced adversities in plant growth and yield mainly occur due to physical and biochemical damages, physiological alterations, and molecular disruptions. Several management approaches are being tested in reducing the detrimental impacts of chilling stress. Seed priming can be a good approach to overcome the negative effects of the chilling stress in different crops. Primed seeds show increased germination rates and better seedling establishment which result in high level of chilling stress tolerance and vigorous plant growth. This chapter provides an overview of physiological, morphological, and biochemical responses of crops to chilling stress and highlights the role of seed priming in augmenting chilling tolerance in crop plants.