Four effective seed enhancement methods

 Physiological, logistical, and ecological-environmental factors have been attributed to the high failure rates associated with seed-based restoration. Low seed viability, dormancy, limited emergence, variation in seed size and morphology, and variegation in environmental conditions are all factors that pose challenges. Researchers and developers are urgently needed to develop seed enhancement technologies (which can be artificially treated so that seeds can germinate and establish on demand), a step that can improve the quality, reliability, and deliverability of native seed batches and make them more resilient to environmental stresses, such as moisture and temperature extremes, and ecological challenges.

Due to a variety of reasons, seed enhancement technologies have received limited attention in ecological restoration, including high initial equipment costs and difficulties scaling the process. Nevertheless, such technologies are common in the supply chains for crop and horticulture seeds as their benefits far outweigh their costs. Recent years have seen the development of seed enhancement technology for ecological recovery, which has potential benefits if the technologies can be optimized and scaled up effectively.

An overview of seed enhancement technologies developed in agriculture (seed priming and seed coating) will be presented in this review, and examples of how these technologies have been applied to ecological restoration will be provided.

Priming the seeds

Pre-sowing treatment, and seed priming, create a physiological state that promotes good germination. The majority of seed treatments involve seed imbibition, which allows seeds to go through the first reversible germination stage without radical protrusion through the seed coat. Dehydrated seeds may be stored until sowing if they have maintained their desiccation tolerance. As a result of primed seeds, subsequent germination is faster and more synchronized, and young seedlings often show greater vigour and resistance to abiotic stresses than seedlings obtained from unprimed seeds. Often, the seed is primed by soaking it in predetermined amounts of water or by limiting the imbibition time. Osmopriming refers to the process of regulating the imbibition rate by osmotic agents such as PEG.

 

A halo priming depends on the use of salts, whereas a halo priming uses plant growth regulators. The improvement of germination is also achieved with some physical treatments (UV, cold, etc.), thus suggesting that priming effects are not always associated with seed imbibition. This simple and cheap technology can be used in a more efficient way if a better understanding of the metabolic events occurring during extended priming and subsequent germination is acquired.

 

Hormone- or chemo-primed

It is possible to improve seed germination of dormant species, control germination timing to optimise recruitment, and protect seeds from biotic and abiotic stresses using germination promoters (e.g. cytokinins), inhibitors (e.g. ABA), or plant protective compounds (e.g. salicylic acid, fungicides).

Osmo-Priming

The osmo-priming technique uses a solution of osmoticum at a water potential below 0 MPa to allow for controlled hydration of seedlings.se of salts (e.g. KNO 3, NaCl, CuSO 4), polyethylene glycol (PEG), or mannitol (C 6H 14O 6) .

Matrix Priming

A solid substrate (e.g., compost, clay, peat, sand, or vermiculite) moistened with water can also be used to prime seeds. In some cases, matrix priming may be more effective than osmotic extended priming, probably because it simulates natural seedbed conditions and oxygen is readily available to seeds throughout extended priming. There has been evidence of matrix priming's positive effects on both horticultural and wild plant species germination and emergence, and it may be incorporated with other seed technologies.

 

Conclusion

For large-scale restoration using direct seeding to be successful, seeds must be used efficiently and effectively. Even though seed enhancement technologies are in their infancy, they will probably provide significant improvements in field establishment similar to what has been achieved for crop species. Various seed treatments can be used to accelerate, delay, or stagger emergence and germination in the field, but the effects need to be adjusted according to the site and local climatic conditions. There should be no indiscriminate use of these treatments for the sake of novelty, but they should have a proven benefit with a deployment strategy that addresses specific ecological or logistical limitations so that each seed has the greatest opportunity for germination, emergence, and successful establishment.

 

 Research and implementation programs that focus on understanding and addressing the species- and site-specific challenges that limit seedling germination are critical to the effectiveness of seed enhancement technologies. The use of seed enhancement technologies must more fully integrate issues related to site conditions, species availability, and species performance into a broader restoration strategy.