Evaluation of structurally different benzimidazoles as priming agents, plant defence activators and growth enhancers in wheat

Molecular dynamics of seed priming at the crossroads between basic and applied research

The potential of seed priming is still not fully exploited. Our limited knowledge of the molecular dynamics of seed pre-germinative metabolism is the main hindrance to more effective new-generation techniques. Climate change and other recent global crises are disrupting food security. To cope with the current demand for increased food, feed, and biofuel production, while preserving sustainability, continuous technological innovation should be provided to the agri-food sector. Seed priming, a pre-sowing technique used to increase seed vigor, has become a valuable tool due to its potential to enhance germination and stress resilience under changing environments. Successful priming protocols result from the ability to properly act on the seed pre-germinative metabolism and stimulate events that are crucial for seed quality. However, the technique still requires constant optimization, and researchers are committed to addressing some key open questions to overcome such drawbacks. In this review, an update of the current scientific and technical knowledge related to seed priming is provided. The rehydration-dehydration cycle associated with priming treatments can be described in terms of metabolic pathways that are triggered, modulated, or turned off, depending on the seed physiological stage. Understanding the ways seed priming affects, either positively or negatively, such metabolic pathways and impacts gene expression and protein/metabolite accumulation/depletion represents an essential step toward the identification of novel seed quality hallmarks. The need to expand the basic knowledge on the molecular mechanisms ruling the seed response to priming is underlined along with the strong potential of applied research on primed seeds as a source of seed quality hallmarks. This route will hasten the implementation of seed priming techniques needed to support sustainable agriculture systems.

Seed 'primeomics': plants memorize their germination under stress

Seed priming is a pre-germination treatment administered through various chemical, physical and biological agents, which induce mild stress during the early phases of germination. Priming facilitates synchronized seed germination, better seedling establishment, improved plant growth and enhanced yield, especially in stressful environments. In parallel, the phenomenon of 'stress memory' in which exposure to a sub-lethal stress leads to better responses to future or recurring lethal stresses has gained widespread attention in recent years. The versatility and realistic yield gains associated with seed priming and its connection with stress memory make a critical examination useful for the design of robust approaches for maximizing future yield gains. Herein, a literature review identified selenium, salicylic acid, poly-ethylene glycol, CaCl₂ and thiourea as the seed priming agents (SPRs) for which the most studies have been carried out. The average priming duration for SPRs generally ranged from 2 to 48 h, i.e. during phase I/II of germination. The major signalling events for regulating early seed germination, including the DOG1 (delay of germination 1)-abscisic acid (ABA)-heme regulatory module, ABA-gibberellic acid antagonism and nucleus-organelle communication are detailed. We propose that both seed priming and stress memory invoke a 'bet-hedging' strategy in plants, wherein their growth under optimal conditions is compromised in exchange for better growth under stressful conditions. The molecular basis of stress memory is explained at the level of chromatin reorganization, alternative transcript splicing, metabolite accumulation and autophagy. This provides a useful framework to study similar mechanisms operating during seed priming. In addition, we highlight the potential for merging findings on seed priming with those of stress memory, with the dual benefit of advancing fundamental research and boosting crop productivity. Finally, a roadmap for future work, entailing identification of SPR-responsive varieties and the development of dual/multiple-benefit SPRs, is proposed for enhancing SPR-mediated agricultural productivity worldwide.

Sodium nitroprusside mediated priming memory invokes water-deficit stress acclimation in wheat plants through physio-biochemical alterations

AIM

Water-deficit stress is the most devastating environmental factor that adversely affects plant growth causing yield losses and low crop productivity. In this study, we employed sodium nitroprusside (SNP) as a seed priming agent for the acclimation of water-deficit stress in wheat plants by invoking priming memory.

METHODS

The SNP-primed (75, 100, and 125 μM) and non-primed controls were allowed to grow in pots under water deficit and normal conditions. The flag leaves of 98-days mature plants were used for biochemical and physiological studies by following the well-established methods.

RESULTS

The antioxidant and hydrolytic enzymes were upregulated while reducing sugars, total sugars, and glycine betaine increased significantly in flag leaves of wheat plants originated from SNP-treated seeds compared to control under water deficit stress. However, a significant reduction in MDA and proline contents represented a lesser ROS production which resulted in enhanced cell membrane stability. Consequently, there was a significant enhancement in yield, plant biomass and 100 grains weight of wheat plants under water deficit stress.

CONCLUSION

The improvement in yield parameters indicates the induction of priming memory in SNP-primed seeds which elicit water deficit tolerance till the maturity of plants thus ensures sustainable productivity of wheat.

Silicon-Mediated Priming Induces Acclimation to Mild Water-Deficit Stress by Altering Physio-Biochemical Attributes in Wheat Plants

Water-deficit stress negatively affects seed germination, seedling development, and plant growth by disrupting cellular and metabolic functions, reducing the productivity and yield of field crops. In this study, sodium silicate (SS) has been employed as a seed priming agent for acclimation to mild water-deficit stress by invoking priming memory in wheat plants. In pot experiments, the SS-primed (20, 40, and 60 mM) and non-primed control seeds were allowed to grow under normal and mild water-deficit conditions. Subsequently, known methods were followed for physiological and biochemical studies using flag leaves of 98-day mature wheat plants. The antioxidant and hydrolytic enzymes were upregulated, while proteins, reducing sugars, total sugars, and glycine betaine increased significantly in the flag leaves of wheat plants originated from SS-treated seeds compared to the control under mild water-deficit stress. Significant decreases in the malondialdehyde (MDA) and proline contents suggested a controlled production of reactive oxygen species, which resulted in enhanced cell membrane stability. The SS priming induced a significant enhancement in yield, plant biomass, and 100-grain weight of wheat plants under water-deficit stress. The improvement in the yield parameters indicated the induction of Si-mediated stress acclimation in SS-primed seeds that elicited water-deficit tolerance until the maturity of plants, ensuring sustainable productivity of climate-smart plants.

Synthesis, density functional theory study and in vitro antimicrobial evaluation of new benzimidazole Mannich bases

The tri-component synthesis of novel chiral benzimidazole Mannich bases, by reaction between benzimidazole, aqueous 30% formaldehyde and an amine, the biological evaluation and DFT studies of the new compounds are reported here. The ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, FTIR spectra and elemental analysis confirm the structures of the new compounds. All synthesized compounds were screened by qualitative and quantitative methods for their in vitro antibacterial activity against 4 bacterial strains. DFT studies were accomplished using GAMESS 2012 software and HOMO-LUMO analysis allowed the calculation of electronic and structural parameters of the chiral Mannich bases. The geometry of 1-methylpiperazine, the cumulated Mullikan atomic charges of the two heteroatoms and of the methyl, and the value of the global electrophilicity index (ω = 0.0527) of the M-1 molecule is correlated with its good antimicrobial activity. It was found that the presence of saturated heterocycles from the amine molecule, 1-methyl piperazine and morpholine, respectively, contributes to an increased biological activity, compared to aromatic amino analogs, diphenylamino-, 4-nitroamino- and 4-aminobenzoic acid. The planarity of the molecules, specific bond lengths and localization of HOMO-LUMO orbitals is responsible for the best biological activities of the compounds.