Seed priming with endophytes: A novel approach for 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. Seed priming has been developed as a crucial method to germinate the seed or increase plants resistance against various biotic and abiotic stresses. Seed priming with microbial inoculum, termed as ‘bio-priming’, involves the application of beneficial microbes, such as bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes to seed that enhance the germination, vigour, protection from diseases and pests leading to increase in yield. 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. Microbial endophytes are symbionts dwelling within plant tissues without appearance of disease symptoms on host plant and have been recently investigated for their plant growth-promoting properties and their beneficial functions associated with plant responses under salinity, drought, temperature, heavy metal stress, and nutrient stress through different mechanisms and also provide protection from diseases and pests.