Endophytes and seed priming: agricultural applications and future prospects

Abstract

In the current scenario of climate change, numerous strategies have been employed in the area of sustainable agriculture or plant science to generate plants, which can withstand various types of biotic and abiotic stresses. Currently, a range of biotic and abiotic stresses such as cold, draught, salinity, water deficit, or extreme pH is present that directly or indirectly influence the germination, growth, and productivity of crops. Seed priming has been developed as a crucial method to germinate the seed or increase plant resistance against various biotic and abiotic stresses. Seed priming is the induction of a particular physiological state in plants by the treatment of natural and synthetic compounds to seeds before germination. Seed priming with microbial inoculum, termed as “bio-priming,” involves the application of beneficial microbes, such as bacteria, fungi actinomycetes, to seed that enhance the uniformity, establishment, and growth of various crops. Seed bio-priming allows the bacteria to enter/adhere to the seeds and also acclimatization of microbes in the prevalent conditions. Seed priming with the use of endophytic microbial strains appears as more beneficial or stable than rhizospheric microbial strains due to better colonization adaptability and suitability under biotic and abiotic stress conditions. © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.