title: Seed biopriming with plant growth promoting rhizobacteria: a review.
abstract: Beneficial microbes are applied to the soil and plant tissues directly or through seed inoculation, whereas soil application is preferred when there is risk of inhibitors or antagonistic microbes on the plant tissues. Insufficient survival of the microorganisms, hindrance in application of fungicides to the seeds and exposure to heat and sunlight in subsequent seed storage in conventional inoculation methods force to explore appropriate and efficient bacterial application method. Seed priming, where seeds are hydrated to activate metabolism without actual germination followed by drying, increases the germination, stand establishment and stress tolerance in different crops. Seed priming with living bacterial inoculum is termed as biopriming that involves the application of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria. It increases speed and uniformity of germination; also ensures rapid, uniform and high establishment of crops; and hence improves harvest quality and yield. Seed biopriming allows the bacteria to enter/adhere the seeds and also acclimatization of bacteria in the prevalent conditions. This review focuses on methods used for biopriming, and also the role in improving crop productivity and stress tolerance along with prospects of this technology. The comparison of methods being followed is also reviewed proposing biopriming as a promising technique for application of beneficial microbes to the seeds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agriculture, Ankara University, 06110 Ankara, Turkey Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agriculture, Ankara University, 06110 Ankara, Turkey ahmadmahmood91@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mahmood
authors.affiliation: Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agriculture, Ankara University, 06110 Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Oğuz Can
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Turgay
authors.affiliation: Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farooq
authors.affiliation: Department of Soil Science and Soil Water Conservation, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi 46300, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Rifat
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hayat
mesh_terms: D018556:Crops, Agricultural; D018525:Germination / Q000502:physiology*; D063245:Plant Development / Q000502:physiology*; D012639:Seeds / Q000382:microbiology*; D012987:Soil
chemical_list: D012987:Soil
keywords: biopriming; inoculation; plant growth promoting rhizobacteria