Recent Advances and Future Prospects of Microbiome-Engineered Seed Bio-Priming in Horticultural Crops

¹ Amity Food & Agriculture Foundation (AFAF), Amity University, Noida
² Amity Institute of Horticulture Studies and Research (AIHSR), Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida
³ Senior Researcher and Expert in Agricultural Sciences, University of Szeged, Hungary Amity University, Uttar Pradesh ( 201313), India.

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Bio priming of seeds, an efficient, environmentally sound and low-cost seed improvement technology combining controlled seed hydration and microbial inoculation, is employed to enhance the quality of seeds and improve seedling performance, growth and stress tolerance of crops. It combines physiological benefits from classical seed priming and benefits from biological stimulation by various beneficial microbes such as Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR), fungi, mycorrhizae, and endophytes. Through varied mechanisms such as nutrient solubilisation, biological nitrogen fixation, phytohormone synthesis, siderophore mediated nutrient mobilization, induced systemic resistance and antagonistic activities against plant pathogens, bio priming significantly promotes seed germination, seedling vigor, nutrient uptake and establishment of crops. In addition, bio primed plants also exhibit enhanced tolerance to both biotic and abiotic stress (like drought, salinity, temperature stresses and heavy metal toxicity) by activating antioxidant defense systems, osmotic adjustment and regulation of stress responsive genes. Numerous research studies have shown that microbial agents like Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Azospirillum, Azotobacter, Trichoderma, mycorrhizae fungi etc. Can improve the growth, yield, resistance to pathogens and tolerance to environmental stresses in many vegetable, fruit and ornamental plants. Despite several constraints related to microbial survival, stability of formulation, storage, field performance etc., recent breakthroughs made in the field of microbial biotechnology, nano-biopriming, microbial consortia, omics technology etc. These are novel methods for more efficient and marketable use of bio priming technology.