Seeds, Volume 5, Issue 4 (August 2026) – 17 articles

Trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata L.), a citrus rootstock valued for its cold hardiness and resistance to broad biotic stress, produces desiccation-sensitive seeds whose successful germination requires optimized pre-sowing treatments for reliable sexual propagation. This study investigated whether chitosan-based coating systems, incorporating glycerol as a plasticizer combined with either an amino acid biostimulant (betaine-proline) or gibberellic acid (GA₃), could improve germination kinetics and seedling establishment. Seeds from mature fruits were subjected to 18 treatments across Petri dish and soil bioassays. In Petri dishes, the germination percentage remained uniformly high (86.67–100%), with GA₃-containing formulations promoting shoot elongation and proline-betaine combinations favoring root development. In soil, treatments primarily modulated germination kinetics: GA₃ combined with chitosan (1.5–2%) increased the germination speed by approximately 3.0–3.4 times relative to the control, while 1.5% chitosan with proline-betaine and glycerol yielded the fastest germination overall. Biomass responses were strongly formulation-dependent: 2% chitosan with GA₃ maximized shoot and total dry weight, whereas 2% chitosan with proline-betaine and glycerol substantially improved root dry biomass and overall seedling quality. Glycerol exerted context-dependent effects, enhancing amino acid formulations while reducing performance in GA₃ mixtures. These findings support the use of optimized chitosan-based treatments as effective tools for accelerating emergence and improving seedling robustness in rootstock production. Full article

Ornamental plants constitute an important sector of the agricultural market, with global relevance. The impacts of climate change also affect flowering plants, increasing susceptibility to stress conditions. The most common effects are related to germination capacity and uniformity, which can indirectly compromise aesthetic value. Seed priming represents a promising environmentally friendly strategy to improve germination performance and stress tolerance in ornamental plants. This review gives an overview of the most recent advances in priming applied to ornamental species, highlighting the physiological, biochemical, and molecular impacts of the technique. Priming approaches can differ (e.g., hydro-, osmotic, hormonal, nano-based), with the common aim of enhancing germination efficiency, seed vigor, and promoting greater uniformity and quality of plantlets under stress conditions. Up to now, a bottleneck in the use of this promising tool has been represented by different responses related to species and protocol standardization. Molecular evaluation is required to monitor the long-term effectiveness of priming. The use of priming represents a sustainable and low-cost tool to enhance the adaptability of ornamental species in stress conditions, supporting the transition to new sustainable solutions for the future of ornamental plant production. Full article

The species that make up the intercrop interact with each other during their development, which can be beneficial, harmful, or indifferent to the participants. The aim of this study was to determine whether the developmental differences observed between intercropped and pure stands are already evident at early developmental stages. We conducted three experiments: (1) a laboratory germination test using filter paper rolls, (2) a laboratory growth test in plant pots, and (3) a small-plot field experiment comparing the development of mixtures and monocultures of winter cereals (winter wheat, winter durum wheat, winter einkorn, winter triticale, winter barley, and winter oats) and winter peas. Based on our results, only minor differences were observed (1–3%) in germination parameters (germination percentage, germination vigor, and seedling health). However, as plant development progressed, increasingly pronounced differences emerged (significance level of p < 0.05) between intercropped and pure stands based on which we assume allelopathic effects. Winter wheat and durum wheat had a positive effect on the initial development of winter pea, whereas barley, and oat had a clearly negative effect. Winter pea negatively affected the germination and early development of triticale and oat, while it had a positive effect on the initial development of durum wheat. Mutually beneficial interactions were identified in the winter wheat–pea and durum wheat–pea combinations during the early stages of plant association. Full article

Bacterial isolates obtained from spores of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have been reported to possess various plant growth-promoting traits. These bacterial isolates enhance plant growth and development through mechanisms such as phytohormone production and nutrient mobilization. The objective of this study was to investigate the ability of bacterial isolates to promote plant development. Five bacterial isolates, Bacillus methylotrophicus, Fictibacillus barbaricus, Stutzerimonas stutzeri, Bacillus aryabhattai, and Priestia aryabhattai, were isolated from AMF (Funneliformis mosseae) spores. The results indicated that all five bacterial isolates promoted plant growth. The greatest positive effects on the tomato seed germination were obtained with Bacillus methylotrophicus and Stutzerimonas stutzeri, with germination percentages of 90% and 95%, respectively. In addition, Stutzerimonas stutzeri enhanced early tomato seedling growth. Priestia aryabhattai produced the highest amount of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) at 94.43 µg mL⁻¹, which is the auxin phytohormone for plant growth promotion. Furthermore, Bacillus methylotrophicus, Fictibacillus barbaricus, and Bacillus aryabhattai were able to produce high levels of ammonia, which may contribute to improving plant growth in nutrient-deficient environments. In addition, Bacillus methylotrophicus, Bacillus aryabhattai, and Priestia aryabhattai were able to solubilize both phosphate and potassium. These findings suggest that the investigated bacterial strains could be combined with AMF to improve crop establishment and support sustainable agricultural systems by enhancing nutrient availability and reducing dependence on chemical fertilizers. Full article

Despite the potential of Eragrostis nigra in alleviating forage shortages and controlling soil erosion, there is little information about how nitrogen fertilization and row spacing affect its forage and seed production. Thus, a two-year field experiment was conducted to explore the effects of nitrogen (N) fertilization (0, 45, 90, 135 kg hectare⁻¹ (ha⁻¹)) and row spacing (20 cm, 40 cm) on its forage yield, nutritive value, seed yield and quality. Results showed that forage dry matter yield (DMY) and harvested seed yield (HSY) increased with higher N rates; however, no further enhancement was observed at 135 kg per ha⁻¹, making 90 kg ha⁻¹ optimum. This may be because excessive nitrogen disrupts the carbon–nitrogen metabolic balance. N fertilization increased the relative feed value by enhancing crude protein content and decreasing acid detergent fiber. Relative to the 20 cm spacing, the 40 cm spacing averagely raised PSY and HSY by 34.7% and 21.3%, respectively. The quadratic regression model yielded maximum predicted HSY values of 27.6 and 26.7 kg ha⁻¹, achieved at optimal N rates of 135 and 98.6 kg ha⁻¹ for the 20 cm and 40 cm spacings, respectively. Thousand-seed weight (TSW), germination index, and vigor index were significantly improved by row spacing and N application (p < 0.05). Seed yield enhancement from N was positively correlated with increases in number of fertile tillers (FT), number of spikelets per tiller and seed set (p < 0.05). Furthermore, FT and TSW had the strongest direct effects on seed yield, with standardized path coefficients of 0.362 and 0.390. Our findings highlight that an application rate of 90 kg ha⁻¹ N combined with 40 cm row spacing could be recommended as the efficient agronomic practice for maximizing forage yield, nutritive value, and seed yield in E. nigra. Importantly, this regime also enhances economic returns while reducing N leaching risks, thereby supporting more sustainable forage production systems. Full article

Germination traits and high-temperature tolerance are critical seed traits for species to respond to habitat changes through seed germination and population dynamics in tropical areas. This study investigated germination under temperature, water and NaCl stress and the seed high-temperature tolerance of three species growing in Xishuangbanna, i.e., one native vine species, Clematis subumbellata, and two introduced tree species, Handroanthus chrysanthus and Melaleuca viminalis. The results were compared with our previous studies in this region to assess the threatened status of C. subumbellata and invasion risk of H. chrysanthus and M. viminalis, in combination with their other traits. These three species are all characterized by the production of numerous small seeds with high viability every year, having the ability to increase their population rapidly under favorable conditions, though they all suffered viability loss and germination inhibition under high temperature and water stresses. The two introduced species, both H. chrysanthus and M. viminalis, produced seeds with wider germination temperature ranges and better high-temperature tolerance than the native C. subumbellata, but their seed heat tolerance was markedly lower than that of typical invasive weeds in this region. On the contrary, C. subumbellata seeds exhibited rather poor high-temperature tolerance, comparable to some rare and endangered species reported previously in the region; however, this species primarily grows on forest margins, slopes, and scrub and produces plumose achenes with good wind dispersal capacity. Thus, it was concluded that H. chrysanthus and M. viminalis may possess only low-to-moderate invasion risks, and their most probable invasive habitats are mainly forest edges. C. subumbellata can be regarded as not threatened currently, without urgent conservation demand. This information is useful for biodiversity conservation in Xishuangbanna. Full article

Salvia lavandulifolia Vahl. is an aromatic and medicinal plant cultivated as a rainfed crop for essential oil production in the western Mediterranean. New trends in the use of Lamiaceae seeds as functional ingredients warrant characterization of this species. Hence, studies were conducted to measure the proximate composition and amino acid profile, along with fatty acid profile, tocochromanol content, phenolic composition, and antioxidant activity in 10 wild populations. Defatted seed meal analysis demonstrates the potential usefulness of this species based on carbohydrate (50–60%), protein (13–21%), and oil (13–20%) content. The amino acid content ranged from 9.2 to 15.4 g/100 g. Seed oil analysis found a fatty acid content of 73–89 g/100 g with predominance of ω6 fatty acids, tocochromanol content of 62–89 mg/100 g, and a phenolic fraction of 7.5–148 mg/100 g with a high proportion of flavones. Antioxidant activity ranged from 10.6 to 23.1 µmol Trolox equivalents/100 g. Overall, seeds of S. lavandulifolia grown in subhumid conditions have strong nutritional and phytochemical profiles. These characteristics suggest opportunities for their use as functional ingredients. Further, strategies to minimize waste and maximize the availability of bioactive compounds will support the economic sustainability of this crop. Full article

Solanum lycopersicum L. (tomato) is an economically and nutritionally important crop whose germination and early seedling growth are highly sensitive to abiotic stresses that disrupt physiological processes and intensify oxidative damage. Seed priming has emerged as a low-cost physiological preconditioning strategy to enhance stress tolerance by activating repair and defense mechanisms prior to stress exposure. This study evaluated the effects of osmopriming (PEG 6000), halopriming (KNO₃), and chemopriming (SNP) on germination, early seedling growth, antioxidant enzyme activity, and lipid peroxidation in S. lycopersicum under salt stress and iron toxicity. Salt stress was induced with NaCl (100 mM) and iron toxicity with Fe-EDTA (4 mM). Priming treatments included osmopriming with PEG 6000 (−0.4 and −0.8 MPa), halopriming with KNO₃ (25 and 50 mM), and chemopriming with sodium nitroprusside—SNP (0.1 and 0.2 mM). Under salt stress, NaCl (100 mM) completely inhibited germination and increased CAT activity by approximately 49% and POX activity by 4%; however, this antioxidant response was insufficient to reduce MDA content, which remained approximately 58% higher than the control. Under iron toxicity, Fe-EDTA (4 mM) reduced germination to 79% and caused a 425% increase in MDA content relative to the control, indicating severe oxidative damage despite a 59% increase in CAT and 47% increase in POX activities. Among the priming treatments evaluated, halopriming with KNO₃ (50 mM) was the most effective strategy under salt stress, restoring germination to 81%, increasing CAT activity by 103%, and reducing MDA by 18% relative to non-primed salt-stressed seeds. Under iron toxicity, all priming treatments consistently increased antioxidant enzyme activities; however, none were capable of reducing lipid peroxidation or restoring seedling growth to control levels, likely due to continuous ROS generation via Fenton-type reactions that overwhelmed enzymatic detoxification capacity. Full article

Background: Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedling performance under heat and drought stress is critical for crop establishment. Identifying cultivars with superior seedling vigor under stress conditions helps breeding programs and seed production systems. Methods: We aimed to evaluate the early growth performance of wheat seedlings from 28 Brazilian commercial cultivars under heat and osmotic stress. Seedlings were assessed through shoot and root lengths and dry weight and analyzed using Scott–Knott grouping, heritability estimates, PCA and stress tolerance index. Results: Osmotic stress affected a wider range of traits than heat stress and revealed phenotypic and genetic variability among cultivars. Root length and root dry weight exhibited high broad-sense heritability, indicating a substantial genotypic contribution under the tested conditions and supporting their use for early-stage screening. Multivariate analyses revealed contrasting adaptation strategies, including root elongation and preferential allocation of biomass to roots under stress conditions. Through uni- and multivariate analyses, we suggested cultivars are potentially tolerant to heat and osmotic stresses. Conclusions: Root-related traits proved to be the most informative indicators of adaptation to stress, and the integration of stress tolerance indices and multivariate analyses enabled the identification of promising cultivars for further validation under greenhouse and field conditions. Full article

Limited access to quality seed constrains vegetable productivity and food security in Uganda, where informal seed systems remain central to farmers’ access to seed but are inadequately documented and largely unregulated. This study documented vegetable seed production and management practices, identified opportunities and constraints within informal seed systems, and examined the role of community seed banks in strengthening seed security. Using a mixed-method approach, quantitative surveys and key informant interviews were conducted with seed producers, seed traders, and community seed bank leaders across Uganda. Study respondents were predominantly men, with most respondents aged ≥35 years, despite women’s and youth’s primary role in vegetable production. Respondents reported key seed management constraints of seed storage pests, low-quality seeds, inconsistent market supply and price fluctuations, limited capital, and weak regulatory oversight. Seed treatment practices primarily consisted of sun-drying and plant-based pesticides, while seed quality assessment relied largely on experience and visual inspection, using cues such as seed color, size, and cleanliness, with limited use of standardized testing. Given that most vegetable growers obtain seeds through community-based seed channels, strengthening actors’ capacity to produce and supply high-quality seed is essential for sustaining vegetable production, improving farmer incomes, and enhancing food and nutrition security. Full article

Parthenium hysterophorus L. is highly invasive across many countries, impacting agriculture, human and animal health and the environment. Despite a widespread invasive range, the persistence of P. hysterophorus seeds (achenes) in the soil profile has been identified as a gap in current knowledge. A long-term seed persistence field trial was under-taken, where packets of P. hysterophorus seeds were buried, retrieved periodically over 10 years and the viability assessed. Time, burial depth and soil type (clay or loam) significantly influenced seed viability. Overall viability was <5% after 5 years, and <0.2% of viable seed was recovered after 7 to 10 years. The decline was faster in seeds at 0 cm (on the soil surface) and buried at 20 cm and slower in seeds buried at 2.5 cm and 10 cm. At most retrieval times viability was higher in seeds retrieved from clay soil plots than from loam soil plots. Pasture cover (present or excluded) did not significantly influence the viability of seeds. Data from controlled ageing laboratory experiments indicated persistent seeds and complemented the field trial data. Based on the weight of 1000 seeds, less than 20 mm of rainfall could incorporate 50% of seeds into three soil types. Parthenium hysterophorus develops a persistent seed bank when incorporated into the soil and infestations will require longer-term control even if seed input is prevented. Full article

The success in the recovery of degraded areas is dependent on the acquisition of quality seedlings coupled. However, nursery activity is complex and involves significant operational and input costs. The present work had as its objective to evaluate the effects of the substrate and the chemical fertilization on the production and quality of Canavalia rosea (Sw.) DC. seedlings and their respective production costs. Ten treatments were tested, consisting of two substrates with sand: clay:coconut fiber (2:1:1 and 1:2:1) and five fertilizations (without fertilizer, with simple superphosphate, simple superphosphate + micronutrients, with NPK 04-14-08, and NPK 04-14-08 + micronutrients). The emergence speed index, emergence percentage, seedling height, stem diameter, leaf number, leaf area, shoot, root, and total dry mass, and Dickson quality index were evaluated. The 1:2:1 substrate and the fertilization levels with simple superphosphate, with simple superphosphate + micronutrients, with NPK 04-14-08, and with NPK 04-14-08 + micronutrients were higher than the control, with values 17% higher for seedling height, 5.4% for the number of leaves, and 18.9% for leaf area. Aiming at the low cost and the quality of the seedlings, it is recommended to use the substrate in the proportion 1:2:1, and fertilization with simple superphosphate. Full article

In dormant sunflower achenes, several structures—the pericarp, seed coat and embryo—contribute to the repression of germination. Achene dormancy varies widely among cultivated sunflower genotypes, and understanding its transmission to hybrid progeny is important both for hybrid seed production and for clarifying the role of these structures. This study examined the inheritance of dormancy in the F1 progeny, with particular emphasis on thermo-inhibition (inhibition of germination at warm temperatures). Reciprocal crosses were performed using three oilseed inbred lines with contrasting dormancy phenotypes. Germination of achenes, seeds, and embryos was tested at 10 and 30 °C at harvest and during postharvest, together with hormonal responses (abscisic acid, ethylene and gibberellins) and measurements of endogenous ABA levels. Results show that maternally inherited, pericarp-imposed thermo-inhibition depends on the dormancy level of the hybrid embryo, which follows a zygotic pattern with incomplete dominance. While embryo sensitivity to ABA related positively with thermo-inhibition, surprisingly, embryonic ABA content was inversely related to dormancy level across genotypes. These findings provide new insight into physiological control of achene dormancy in sunflower and contribute to improved breeding strategies for high-quality hybrid seed. Full article

This study reports the first documented occurrence of double-seeded fruits (DSF) in date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.), a phenomenon distinct from previously described polyembryony. DSF were observed only in the cultivars ‘Kentichi’ and ‘Deglet nour’, where they occurred at very low frequencies (2.8 × 10⁻³% and 1.6 × 10⁻⁴%, respectively). Morphological observations indicate that DSF arise through partial or complete fusion of two carpels, resulting in syncarpic fruits that are significantly heavier and wider than single-seeded fruits, while fruit length remains unchanged. Germination rates were high and similar in both groups, but seeds from DSF germinated 8 days earlier than those from single-seeded fruits. In contrast, seedlings derived from DSF showed slower early growth. These findings identify DSF as a rare, genotype-dependent developmental variant in date palm and suggest that syncarpy influences fruit morphology, seed allocation, and germination behaviour. Full article

This study investigates the influence of normal and cryogenic grinding on the antioxidant properties and bioactive compound profiles of fennel seed (Foeniculum vulgare) powder at varying particle sizes. Methanolic and ethanolic extracts were evaluated for DPPH radical scavenging activity (AAO), total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC) using conditions optimised through Response Surface Methodology (RSM) employing an I-optimal quartic design. Statistical analysis confirmed that grinding type and solvent type were the dominant factors influencing all three responses, with their interaction significantly governing flavonoid content recovery. The optimal extraction conditions were identified as cryogenic grinding, methanol as solvent, and a particle size of 200 µm, with an overall desirability of 0.887. Validated experimental values under these conditions were AAO = 87.11%, TPC = 11.31 mg GAE/g, and TFC = 14.18 mg QE/g, with prediction errors within ±5% of model-predicted values confirming the robustness of the developed models. HRLC-MS analysis confirmed that cryogenic grinding preserves a broader and more concentrated phytochemical profile compared to normal grinding. These findings demonstrate that cryogenic grinding combined with methanol extraction at fine particle sizes significantly enhances the yield of antioxidant-rich phytochemicals from fennel seeds, supporting their potential application in functional food and nutraceutical development. Full article

Abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity, and aluminum toxicity (Al³⁺), affect the growth and initial establishment of wheat plants, limiting crop yield in restrictive growing environments. Therefore, the early selection of tolerant genotypes adapted to multiple production environments is essential to optimize wheat production. A laboratory experiment was conducted to identify and recommend wheat cultivars that simultaneously combine adaptability and stability for initial morphological responses when subjected to stressful environmental conditions. Plants from 12 wheat cultivars were grown under non-stressful (control) and stressful conditions (drought, salinity and Al³⁺ stress), using a 4 × 12 factorial arrangement with four replicates. On the 28th day, the emergence rate, length, dry matter and vigor of the plants were measured. Abiotic stresses limit the initial growth and vigor of wheat plants, with drought causing the greatest limitation for plant growth and biomass accumulation, while salinity had the greatest impact on plant vigor indices. Aluminum toxicity limits root development and biomass allocation. Principal component analysis explained 67.76% of the total variability and distinguished the plant growing environments. The multi-trait index proved effective in cultivar selection, highlighting the cv. ORS Feroz due to its proximity to the ideotype and adaptability to multiple abiotic stresses. Full article

Seed enhancement technologies have emerged as promising approaches to improve seedling growth and nursery performance of forest tree species. This study evaluated the effects of combining seed priming and seed coating technologies with beneficial microbial inoculants on the seedling quality of Falcataria falcata (L.) Greuter & R.Rankin. Fourteen treatments, including hydropriming (HP), gibberellic acid (GA₃), Rhizobium sp., Trichoderma sp., endomycorrhiza, polymer coating, nutrients, fungicide, and insecticide, were assessed under nursery conditions. Seedling quality was determined using the number of roots, number of nodules, root-to-shoot ratio, vigor index I, and vigor index II. Significant differences among treatments were observed for all measured parameters (p < 0.001). The treatment HP + GA₃ + Rhizobium sp. + polymer coat + fungicide (T13) produced the highest number of roots (31.76 roots seedling⁻¹), indicating enhanced root development. Meanwhile, HP + endomycorrhiza (T4) resulted in the highest number of nodules (5.49 nodules seedling⁻¹), root-to-shoot ratio (0.593), and vigor index I (2055.57), reflecting improved biomass allocation and overall seedling quality. Principal component analysis explained 71.9% of the total variation and revealed distinct associations between treatments and growth attributes. Treatments containing Rhizobium sp. were primarily associated with root proliferation and seedling vigor, whereas endomycorrhizal treatments were linked to nodulation and balanced biomass development. The results demonstrate that integrating microbial inoculants with seed priming and coating technologies can significantly enhance seedling quality, even when germination responses are similar among treatments. These findings highlight the potential of biologically enhanced seeds as a sustainable strategy for producing vigorous planting materials suitable for plantation forestry, reforestation, and landscape restoration programs. Full article