Sodium silicate seed priming leads to enhanced antioxidative protection of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings under water-deficit stress

摘要

Seed priming has emerged as a valuable approach which improves the behavior of plants in the field, both in terms of productivity and stress tolerance. In this study sodium silicate (SS) has been used as a priming agent to induce tolerance to water deficit stress in wheat seedlings, and the consequent effects on some physico-biochemical parameters were investigated. For SS priming, wheat seeds were soaked in 20, 40 and 60 ppm SS solutions for 8 h. Under stress conditions, the priming treatments enhanced reducing sugars, protein and total phenolics concentrations, peroxidase activity, relative water content and cell membrane stability. However, a significant decrease in total and non-reducing sugars, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, protease and catalase activities were observed as a result of priming treatments both under normal and stress conditions. In conclusion, SS priming induced tolerance to water deficit stress by improving cell membrane stability, water content and antioxidant potential in wheat.