Increased Germination Rate Research Articles

EFFECT OF SEED PRIMING WITH GREEN TEA (CAMELLIA SINENSIS L.) AQUEOUS EXTRACT ON GERMINATION AND GROWTH TRAITS OF MUNG BEAN (VIGNA RADIATA L.)

A laboratory experiment studied the effects of the green tea (Camellia sinensis L.) aqueous extract at concentrations of 10, 20, and 30 ppm on the germination and growth traits of the mung bean (Vigna radiata L.), carried out in 2021 at the Department of Biology, College of Education for Pure Sciences, Ibn Al-Haitham, University of Baghdad, Iraq. The results showed that Camellia sinensis green tea extracts played a vital role by significantly boosting all the examined characteristics compared with the control treatment. The aqueous extract of Green tea at concentrations of 10 and 20 ppm gave the best performance in increasing germination rates, germination speed, plant promoter indicator, and seedling strength compared with the control treatment. Meanwhile, the concentration of 30 ppm indicated a significant increase in the shoot length, root system, carbohydrates, proteins, proline, superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) compared with other concentrations used and control treatment.

Seed Priming with Reactive Oxygen Species-Generating Nanoparticles Enhanced Maize Tolerance to Multiple Abiotic Stresses.

Climate change-induced extreme weather events (heat, cold, drought, and flooding) will severely affect crop production. Increasing the resilience of crops to fluctuating environmental conditions is critically important. Here, we report that nanomaterials (NMs) with reactive oxygen species (ROS)-generating properties can be used as seed priming agents to simultaneously enhance the tolerance of maize seeds and seedlings to diverse and even multiple stresses. Maize seeds primed with 40 mg/L silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) exhibited accelerated seed germination and an increased germination rate, greater seedling vigor, and better seedling growth under drought (10% and 20% PEG), saline (50 and 100 mM NaCl), and cold (15 °C) stress conditions, indicating enhanced resilience to diverse stresses. Importantly, maize resistance to simultaneous multiple stresses (drought and cold, drought and salt, and salt and cold) was markedly enhanced. Under drought conditions, seed priming significantly boosted root hair density and length (17.3-82.7%), which enabled greater tolerance to water deficiency. RNA-seq analysis reveals that AgNPs seed priming induced a transcriptomic shift in maize seeds. Plant hormone signal transduction and MAPK signaling pathways were activated upon seed priming. Importantly, low-cost and environmentally friendly ROS-generating Fe-based NMs (Fe2O3 and Fe3O4 NPs) were also demonstrated to enhance the resistance of seeds and seedlings to drought, salt, and cold stresses. These findings demonstrate that a simple seed priming strategy can be used to significantly enhance the climate resilience of crops through modulated ROS homeostasis and that this approach could be a powerful nanoenabled tool for addressing worsening food insecurity.

Endophyte Community Changes in the Seeds of Eight Plant Species following Inoculation with a Multi-Endophytic Bacterial Consortium and an Individual Sphingomonas wittichii Strain Obtained from Noccaea caerulescens.

Noccaea caerulescens, a hyperaccumulator plant species known for its metal tolerance and accumulation abilities, harbours a microbiome of interest within its seed. These seed-associated bacteria, often referred to as seed endophytes, play a unique role in seed germination and plant growth and health. This work aimed to address how inoculating seeds of eight different plant species-Medicago sativa (alfalfa), Zea mays (corn), Raphanus sativus (radish), Helianthus annus (sunflower), Cucurbita pepo subsp. pepo (squash), Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla (rainbow chard), Arabidopsis thaliana (thale cress), and Noccaea caerulescens (penny cress)-with a bacterial consortium made from the seed endophytes of N. caerulescens would affect the seed microbiome of each test plant species, as well as inoculation with a strain of the bacterium Sphingomonas wittichii, which was previously isolated from seeds of N. caerulescens. Additionally, we aimed to offer preliminary plant tests in order to determine the best seed treatment plan for future research. The results showed that inoculation with the bacterial consortium held the most potential for increasing plant size (p < 0.001) and increasing germination rate (p < 0.05). The plant that responded best to inoculation was N. caerulescens (penny cress), likely because the microbes being introduced into the seed were not foreign. This paper also offers the first insight into the seed endophytes of Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla, highlighting an abundance of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteriota.

Inductively Coupled Electrical Stimulation - Part 6: Duration of PEMF-induced enhanced seed germination

The objective of this study was to directly answer the practical question: how long lasting are the observed effects of pulsed electro-magnetic fields (PEMF) on seed germination? Earlier studies have shown that the effect of PEMF treatment on seed germination can be positive, neutral, or negative, exhibiting a tri-phasic inverse hormesis behavior as a function of total PEMF dosage during a single treatment session. This allows an optimal dosage range to be determined for maximum progerminative effect. Dosages in this range were found in earlier studies to increase the germination rate of pepper seeds to ~ 85%, from the baseline germination rate of ~56%, amounting to an increased germination rate of ~150% of baseline. &#x0D; One major practical consideration of this observation is whether the PEMF treatment is durable enough to allow central processing and long-term storage of the seeds for later use, or whether seeds treated by PEMF need to be planted shortly after treatment due to rapid loss of effect over time. If the latter, what is the allowable time between PEMF treatment and planting? In addition to their practical value, these observations will have considerable theoretical value as well. As the underlying biophysical mechanism of PEMF remains to be elucidated, quantitative assessments of the durability of the effect of PEMF treatment will give important clues as to the potential mechanisms involved; for example, whether they involve the activation of enzyme systems that remain activated or taper off, whether they initiate the release or activation of substances in reserve in the germ that are exhausted upon a single use, whether multiple mechanisms are involved as evidenced by multi-phasic decay over time, or whether the progerminative effect can be repeated more than one time in any given seed.&#x0D; For this study, the duration of the progerminative effect was measured by applying a previously-determined “optimal” dose of PEMF to pepper seeds, then storing the seeds in their original paper envelopes in a darkened room at 50% RH and room temperature for a period of up to one year post-treatment before planting, and determination of germination rate at two weeks (14 days). Finally, we study whether the lost progerminative effect can be recovered in stored seeds by reapplication of PEMF at the same dose immediately before planting. &#x0D; Our findings were that (1) the progerminative effect lasted only about 2 days after PEMF exposure, then returned about half way back to baseline and began a slow decline thereafter, but remained at approximately half-way, never returning to baseline even for periods of storage as long as 1 year, (2) a second application of PEMF restored almost all of the progerminative effect even after storage periods of up to one year. Storage periods longer than 1 year were not studied.&#x0D; These results add to the discussion of the mechanisms of PEMF across the span of complex organisms by suggesting the involvement of multiple mechanisms, some durable while others are semi-permanent.

Seed quality improvement applications in black cumin seeds (Nigella sativa L.)

The black cumin plant, which forms the research material, is a plant cultivated in many countries for various purposes. By eliminating the difficulties in seed germination, efficiency can be increased. Applications to improve seed quality include improving harvesting, drying and storage technologies, pre-sowing applications, seed processing and coating technologies. Among these applications, priming applications and seed coating methods occupy an important place. In previous studies on plants from the Ranunculaceae family, various pathogens of plant viruses have been identified. One of the viruses transmitted by seeds of the Ranunculaceae family is Cucumber mosaic virüs (CMV). The aim was to increase germination rates and to achieve early and uniform emergence of black cumin, which has a small seed size and whose embryos also show irregular germination. For this purpose, priming, chemical application and film coating and their combinations were used to determine and recommend the best method. In addition to these studies, black cumin seeds infected with CMV were determined by serological and molecular analysis methods and a series of applications were carried out to eliminate this viral factor from the seeds. As a result of the evaluations, the seeds showed the highest germination rate (91% and 93%, respectively) when priming+polymer+KNO3 and priming+polymer+GA3 were applied. It was found that both polymer application and priming application increased GA3 efficiency. Priming+polymer+GA3 application statistically allowed the seeds to reach the mean germination time (5.87 days) in the shortest time. In contrast, the application of the polymer alone and the applications in combination with the polymer caused the seeds to reach the mean germination time longer than the control. The chemical substances and applications that successfully eliminated the cmv factor in black cumin seeds were determined. It was found that the most successful applications were hot water and ozone applications.

Functional Study of Amorpha fruticosa WRKY20 Gene in Response to Drought Stress.

The WRKY gene family in plants regulates the plant's response to drought through regulatory networks and hormone signaling. AfWRKY20 (MT859405) was cloned from Amorpha fruticosa (A. fruticosa) seedlings using RT-PCR. The binding properties of the AfWRKY20 protein and the W-box (a DNA cis-acting element) were verified both in vivo and in vitro using EMSA and Dual-Luciferase activity assays. RT-qPCR detected that the total expression level of AfWRKY20 in leaves and roots was 22 times higher in the 30% PEG6000 simulated drought treatment compared to the untreated group. Under the simulated drought stress treatments of sorbitol and abscisic acid (ABA), the transgenic tobacco with the AfWRKY20 gene showed enhanced drought resistance at the germination stage, with significantly increased germination rate, green leaf rate, fresh weight, and root length compared to the wild-type (WT) tobacco. In addition, the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, chlorophyll content, and Fv/Fm ratio of AfWRKY20 transgenic tobacco were significantly higher than those of the WT tobacco under natural drought stress, while the malondialdehyde (MDA) content and 3,3'-diaminobenzidine (DAB) and nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) staining levels were lower. The expression levels of oxidation kinase genes (NbSOD, NbPOD, and NbCAT) in transgenic tobacco under drought stress were significantly higher than those in WT tobacco. This enhancement in gene expression improved the ability of transgenic tobacco to detoxify reactive oxygen species (ROS). The survival rate of transgenic tobacco after natural drought rehydration was four times higher than that of WT tobacco. In summary, this study revealed the regulatory mechanism of AfWRKY20 in response to drought stress-induced ABA signaling, particularly in relation to ROS. This finding provides a theoretical basis for understanding the pathways of WRKY20 involved in drought stress, and offers genetic resources for molecular plant breeding aimed at enhancing drought resistance.

Adaptive responses and transgenerational plasticity of a submerged plant to benthivorous fish disturbance.

Submerged macrophytes play a key role in the restoration of shallow eutrophic lakes. However, in some subtropical lakes, benthivorous fishes dominate the fish assemblages and influence the growth of submerged plants. A comprehensive understanding of the direct and indirect effects of benthivorous fishes on submerged plants is important. We conducted mesocosm experiments to examine the effects of three densities of benthivorous fish, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, on the water properties, the growth, asexual reproduction, and the germination of turions of Potamogeton crispus L. Our results showed that fish disturbance increased TN, TP, PO4-P, NH4-N, and NO3-N of the water, raising the extinction coefficient K, Chl a, and the periphyton biomass. Benthivorous fish disturbance reduced the total biomass, root length, relative growth rate (RGR), and branching number while increasing the plant height of P. crispus. The P stoichiometric homeostasis coefficient (H P) (except turions) and H N was lower in plant tissues due to fish disturbance. Benthivorous fish disturbances promoted turions formation (e.g., increased turions total numbers and biomass) of P. crispus. Moreover, P. crispus exhibited transgenerational plasticity for benthivorous fish affecting turion emergence. The maximum final germination rate occurred only when fish density in the mother plant grow experiment matched that in the turion germination experiment. Turions generated by P. crispus disturbed by low-density fish exhibited increased germination rates. Our findings suggest that controlling benthivorous fish reduces its indirect and direct effects on submerged vegetation, facilitating the successful restoration of these plants.

Recovering and potentially applying of alginate like extracellular polymers from anaerobic digested sludge

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are biopolymers contained in both aerobic and anaerobic sludge. In EPS, alginate like extracellular polymers (ALE) is thought as a highly valued material, which have been widely studied with aerobic sludge. Nevertheless, a curiosity on ALE remains in anaerobic digested sludge (ADS). With 5 different sludge sources, anaerobic digestion of excess sludge was conducted in a batch mode, and then ADS was used to extract ALE and to analyze its physicochemical properties for potential applications. The yield of ALE extracted from ADS (ALE-ADS) ranged from 119.4 to 179.4 mg/g VSS. The compositional characteristics of ALE-ADS observed by FT-IR, 3D-EEM and UV–Vis spectroscopy revealed that there were minor differences in the composition and property of ALE-ADS but a similarity of 62 %–70 % to a commercial alginate remained in terms of chemical functional groups. Moreover, ALE-ADS composed of 1,4-linked β-d-mannuronic acid (M) and 1,4 α-l-guluronic acid (G) residues that form blocks of GG (20.8 %–33.8 %), MG (12.8 %–30.1 %) and MM (6.6 %–15.1 %), respectively. Based on the gel-forming capacity, film-forming property, adsorbility, and amphiphilicity, ALE-ADS seems potential as a water-proof coating with even a better performance than the commercial alginate, as a seed coating with an increased germination rate, and as a bio-adsorbent with a similar performance to the commercial alginate and ALE from aerobic sludge.

Farklı Putresin ve Salisilik Asit Uygulamalarının Tuzlu Şartlarda Marulun (Lactuca sativa L.) Çimlenme, Bitki Gelişimi, Kalite Özellikleri ve Besin Elementi İçeriği Üzerine Etkileri

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the effects of putrescine and salicylic acid applications at different doses on germination, plant growth, quality properties and nutrient contents of lettuce under saline conditions.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: In the study carried out in climatic chamber conditions, a total of 15 different applications using two different salt levels (100 and 200 mM), two different putrescine doses (0.5 and 1.0 mM) and two different salicylic acid doses (0.5 and 1.0 mM) were investigated. The effects of putrescine and salicylic acid separately and together with salt were examined.&#x0D; Results: According to the findings obtained from the research, it was detected that salinity negatively affected the germination, plant growth, quality properties and nutrient contents of lettuce. In general, it was determined that putrescine applications under saline conditions increased germination and plant growth parameters and significantly reduced the negative effects of salt stress. Furthermore, it was found that the 1.0 mM Putrescine+200 mM NaCl application, in which salt and putrescine were used together, increased germination rate by 75.57%, plant height by 42.49%, plant fresh weight by 58.89% and number of marketable leaves by 43.20% compared to the 200 mM NaCl application.&#x0D; Conclusion: It was concluded that 0.5 mM Putrescine+100 mM NaCl, 1.0 mM Putrescine+100 mM NaCl and 1.0 mM Putrescine+200 mM NaCl applications were the most effective applications against salt stress in lettuce among the applications examined in the study, and these applications could be recommended as an alternative application method for lettuce cultivation in areas with salinity problems.

FUSCA3-induced AINTEGUMENTA-like 6 manages seed dormancy and lipid metabolism.

FUSCA 3 (FUS3), a seed master regulator, plays critical role in seed dormancy and oil accumulation. However, its downstream regulation mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we explored the roles of AINTEGUMENTA-like 6 (AIL6), a seed transcription factor, in these processes. The activation of AIL6 by FUS3 was demonstrated by dual-LUC assay. Seeds of ail6 mutants showed alterations in fatty acid compositions, and both AtAIL6 (AIL6 from Arabidopsis thaliana) and BnaAIL6 (AIL6 from Brassica napus) rescued the phenotype. Over-expression (OE) of AIL6s reversed changes in seed fatty acid composition. Notably, OE lines showed low seed germination rates down to 12% compared to 100% of wild-type Col-0. Transcriptome analysis of the mutant and an OE line indicated widespread expression changes of genes involved in lipid metabolism and phytohormone pathways. In OE mature seeds, GA4 content decreased more than 15-fold, while abscisic acid and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) contents clearly increased. Exogenous GA3 treatments did not effectively rescue the low germination rate. Nicking seed coats increased germination rates from 25% to nearly 80% while the wild-type rdr6-11 is 100% and 98% respectively, and elongation of storage time also improved seed germination. Furthermore, dormancy imposed by AIL6 was fully released in the della quintuple mutant. Together, our results indicate AIL6 acts as a manager downstream of FUS3 in seed dormancy and lipid metabolism.

Characterization and Germination Performance of Lettuce Sativa by Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Seed Priming

Increasing food availability and ensuring food security have become critical issues for nations with varying levels of economic growth. The agricultural sector plays an essential role in these developments. To cater to this, seed priming is a typical method for controlling the hydration of seeds, ensuring that the plant can consume water and proceed to the initial stage of germination. The main objective of this research is to characterise the synthesis of chemical iron oxide nanoparticles (FeNPs) and investigate the germination performance of Lactuca sativa (lettuce). Iron oxide (Fe) is important for various processes in plants, such as photosynthesis. The chemical method was chosen to synthesise the nanoparticles as it can reduce the overall cost, has a high yield, and is safe for the environment. In this experiment, two salt solutions were chosen as the reducing agents for the chemical method. The effect of seed priming with different concentrations of FeNPs (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 ppm) on seedling growth parameters such as germination rate and average shoot and root length varieties was studied on the fifth and eighth days of seedling development. Seed priming with FeNPs increased the germination rate more than control at all studied concentrations. As a result, among the 5 different concentrations, 1 ppm shows an increase in germination rate, average length of root of Lactuca sativa (lettuce) seeds, and shoot better than the others. The germination rate of 1 ppm is 80%, compared to the control at 70%. Seed priming with FeNPs was nontoxic in comparison to the control, but it decreased the amount of chlorophyll and can be used to increase the nonenzymatic antioxidant capacity during the early phases of Lactuca sativa (lettuce) seedling development. Overall, this study suggests that using FeNPs to prime the seeds of Lactuca sativa (lettuce) can potentially increase crop yield and help keep the demand for food production stable.

GERMINATION AND EARLY GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF PREKESE, TETRAPLEURA TETRAPTERA TO SEED PRETREATMENT METHODS AND PHOSPHORUS FERTILIZER IN THE NURSERY PHASE

Seeds of Tetrapleura tetraptera trees have poor germination due to their hard and impervious seed coat. This research was conducted to determine the possibilities of reducing seed dormancy using seed pretreatment via the application of sulphuric acid and hot water and then phosphorus for better seedling growth. Seeds pretreated with sulphuric acid had a significantly (P˂0.05) increased germination rate (by 60%) compared to seeds pretreated with hot water (40%). The application of phosphorus fertilizer stimulated the early growth of the species. This research provides information for practical use.

Avian gut passage reduces the germination light response of pokeweed (Phytolaca americana)

It has been shown that passage through a bird's gut has the potential to alter seed germinability (overall percent germination) and the timing of germination. However, little is known about the potential of avian gut passage to alter the germination response of seeds to abiotic gradients, such as light availability. Specifically, it is unclear whether gut passage makes seeds more or less sensitive to variability in light. We addressed this issue using a growth chamber experiment where the germination rate of both gut-passed and control (de-pulped) seeds of the understory herb Phytolaca americana (pokeweed) was compared across three light levels. Both avian gut passage and light increased germination rate. Additionally, it was found that gut passage and light interacted to influence the germination rate, such that gut-passed seeds showed no response to light and control seeds had a strong, positive light response. Results from this experiment suggest that avian gut passage has the potential to reduce seed's sensitivity to light, which could play a role in the recruitment of avian-dispersed plant populations across variable light environments.

Soybean Seed Enrichment with Cobalt and Molybdenum as an Alternative to Conventional Seed Treatment

Biological nitrogen fixation in soybean is enhanced when seed is treated with cobalt (Co) and molybdenum (Mo) prior to planting. In this study, our objective was to verify if Co and Mo application during the reproductive phase of the crop increases seed Co and Mo concentration without adverse effects on seed quality. Two experiments were conducted. First, we investigated foliar and soil Co and Mo application under greenhouse conditions. Next, we validated the results obtained in the first study. The treatments for both experiments consisted of Co doses combined with Mo, and a control without Co and Mo application. The foliar application was more efficient in producing enriched Co and Mo seed; meanwhile, as Co doses increased so did Co and Mo concentrations in the seed. There were no adverse effects on nutrition, development, quality, and yield of parent plants and seed when these micronutrients were applied. The seed showed higher germination, vigor, and uniformity for the development of soybean seedlings. We concluded that the application of 20 g ha-1 Co and 800 g ha-1 Mo via foliar application at the reproductive stage of soybean increased germination rate and achieved the best growth and vigor index of enriched seed.

Accelerated germination of aged recalcitrant seeds by K+-rich bulk oxygen nanobubbles

Bulk nanobubbles, measuring less than 200 nm in water, have shown their salient properties in promoting growth in various species of plants and orthodox seeds, and as potential drug-delivery carriers in medicine. Studies of recalcitrant seeds have reported markedly increased germination rates with gibberellin treatment; however, neither the mechanism promoting germination nor the implication for food safety is well elucidated. In our study, recalcitrant wasabi (Eutrema japonicum) seeds treated with bulk oxygen nanobubbles (BONB) containing K+, Na+, and Cl− (BONB-KNaCl) showed significantly accelerated germination. As germination progressed, 99% of K+ ions in the BONB-KNaCl medium were absorbed by the seeds, whereas Ca2+ ions were released. These results suggest that the germination mechanism involves the action of K+ channels for migration of K+ ions down their concentration gradient and Ca2+ pumps for the movement of Ca2+ ions, the first potential discovery in germination promotion in recalcitrant seeds using nutrient solutions with BONB-KNaCl.

Static magnetic field promotes faster germination and increases germination rate of Calotropis procera seeds stimulating cellular metabolism

Studies have reported responses of plants to magnetism although the underlying mechanisms are not established. Here it is reported biochemical responses of seeds of Calotropis procera, a non-cultivated species, when exposed to static magnetic field (MF). Screening of the MF effect on seed germination was performed (0; 0.5; 1.0; 2.0 mT) and then the best response to field intensity (2 mT) was fixed in further analyses. Seeds were germinated for 5 days under 2 mT or seeds were exposed to 2 mT for 5 days and then germinated. Treatments were compared to seeds germinated without MF. MF reduced the time for seed germination (two days) and increased germination rate (65%–90%). This was accompanied by higher fresh and dry matter. Activity of catalase was not altered. Activity of POX increased and that of APX decreased in seeds after MF exposure, indicating oxidative unbalance. The increased contents of hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde were also indicators of oxidative stress. DNA integrity was preserved, while soluble protein and DNA quantity increased, compared to the control. Confocal analysis of seed tissues stained with propidium iodide suggested cellular proliferation stimulated by MF. Proteomics and bioinformatics analysis corroborated these data with up regulated protein involved in energetic and protein metabolism. These observations suggested increased cellular metabolism in seeds submitted to MF. It is concluded that MF accelerated the seed germination of Calotropis procera boosting seed metabolism. In this regard, MF might play a role of a mitogen-like inducer.

Functional Characterization of Lobularia maritima LmTrxh2 Gene Involved in Cold Tolerance in Tobacco through Alleviation of ROS Damage to the Plasma Membrane.

Cold stress is a key environmental factor affecting plant growth and development, crop productivity, and geographic distribution. Thioredoxins (Trxs) are small proteins that are ubiquitously expressed in all organisms and implicated in several cellular processes, including redox reactions. However, their role in the regulation of cold stress in the halophyte plant Lobularia maritima remains unknown. We recently showed that overexpression of LmTrxh2, which is the gene that encodes the h-type Trx protein previously isolated from L. maritima, led to an enhanced tolerance to salt and osmotic stress in transgenic tobacco. This study functionally characterized the LmTrxh2 gene via its overexpression in tobacco and explored its cold tolerance mechanisms. Results of the RT-qPCR and western blot analyses indicated differential temporal and spatial regulation of LmTrxh2 in L. maritima under cold stress at 4 °C. LmTrxh2 overexpression enhanced the cold tolerance of transgenic tobacco, as evidenced by increased germination rate, fresh weight and catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activities; reduced malondialdehyde levels, membrane leakage, superoxide anion (O2-), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels; and higher retention of chlorophyll than in non-transgenic plants (NT). Furthermore, the transcript levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-related genes (NtSOD and NtCAT1), stress-responsive late embryogenis abundant protein 5 (NtLEA5), early response to dehydration 10C (NtERD10C), DRE-binding proteins 1A (NtDREB1A), and cold-responsive (COR) genes (NtCOR15A, NtCOR47, and NtKIN1) were upregulated in transgenic lines compared with those in NT plants under cold stress, indicating that LmTrxh2 conferred cold stress tolerance by enhancing the ROS scavenging ability of plants, thus enabling them to maintain membrane integrity. These results suggest that LmTrxh2 promotes cold tolerance in tobacco and provide new insight into the improvement of cold-stress resistance to cold stress in non-halophyte plants and crops.

Effect of Plasma Treatment on Ice Plant Germination and Physicochemical Surface Using Dielectric Barrier Discharge

Atmospheric pressure plasma treatment on seeds has recently become a valuable technique to improve germination. This work treated Mesembryanthemum crystallinum (ice plant) seeds by the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) atmospheric pressure plasma at room temperature. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicate that after plasma treatment, the N–H stretching vibration of proteins ( <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\sim$</tex-math> </inline-formula> 3340 cm <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$^{-1})$</tex-math> </inline-formula> is introduced into the seed surface, increasing the nitrogen content on the surface of the ice plant. Therefore, the seed germination rate increased significantly by 15.2%. However, prolonged plasma treatment reduces seed germination. Because the operating surrounding temperature increases with the treatment time, the wax on the surface of the seed is evaporated, resulting in a significant increase water uptake of seeds. Excess water uptake hinders oxygen diffusion to the embryo, affecting germination. A feasible mechanism and effects of plasma treatment on ice plants are proposed in this study. DBD plasma-treated ice plants significantly increase germination rates, showing excellent potential in the agricultural field.

Fine Bubbles Utilization to Increase Germination Rate of Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis L. Jacq) Seeds

The current method to break oil palm seed dormancy is the dry heat method which requires approximately 90 days for seeds to germinate with an average germination percentage. Therefore, hastening the process with a higher ratio of germinated seeds becomes necessary. This experiment aims to hasten and increase germination percentage by applying fine bubble water during the dormancy-breaking process. A seed lot derived from one bunch as replication is divided into two sets where fiber plugs from one of the sets are removed while the other set remains intact. Each set was re-divided into six experimental units soaked with tap water or fine bubble water for 1 to 3 days. The result showed that applying fine bubble water provided a better germination rate than tap water treatments. However, the total germination percentage between all treatments does not differ significantly. The germination peak of oil palm seed in the fine bubble water treatments occurred on the 26 th day, 8 days faster than in the tap water treatments. The occurrence showed the potential use of fine bubble water application during dormancy breaking using the dry heat method.

Hydrogen Peroxide Ameliorates the Adversities of Drought Stress during Germination and Seedling Growth in Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.)

Proper seed germination is important for seedling establishment and growth in fields under drought caused by climate change. In the present study, the beneficial effects of hydrogen peroxide on seed germination were investigated by proteome analysis. Sorghum seeds were subjected to drought stress adjusted to the various water potentials of 0, −0.2, and −0.5 MPa using polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 and treated with hydrogen peroxide at different concentrations (0, 10, 20, 50, and 100 mM). Germination percentage and seedling growth were determined at 6 days after imbibition, and proteins from embryos were analyzed. As a result of the study, it was found that the reduced germination percentage and seedling growth under drought stress were alleviated by hydrogen peroxide treatment. Proteins induced in hydrogen peroxide-treated embryos included glycolysis-related enzymes (25%) and stress-defense proteins (30%). Among the glycolysis-related enzymes, fructokinase-1 was higher only under drought and 0 mM H2O2 treatment, and phosphoglycerate kinase was higher than control under drought and 100 mM H2O2 treatment. Hydrogen peroxide treatment also increased the expression of antioxidant enzymes related to stress defense. The results that hydrogen peroxide treatment increases germination rate and seedling growth by increasing energy production and defense activity suggest a practical application of H2O2 at 100 mM for reducing the drought stress in sorghum.