International Journal of Horticulture, 2025, Vol.15, No.5, 242-256 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 247 Figure 1 Molecular effects of priming The concept of cross-tolerance opens new avenues for sustainable horticulture, especially under the threat of climate variability and stress combinations. Although the molecular basis of cross-tolerance is still being unraveled, it represents a practical, low-cost intervention to increase the resilience of high-value crops without genetic modification. 4 Practical Applications and Case Studies of Seed Priming Under Abiotic Stress in Horticultural Crops 4.1 Drought stress Water scarcity is a major limiting factor in horticultural production, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. Seed priming has emerged as a promising technique to improve drought tolerance in vegetables by enhancing seed germination, seedling vigor and early stress adaptation (Jisha et al., 2013). In carrot (Daucus carota L.), priming with agents such as PEG and GA3 increased germination and seedling vigor by up to 28% under drought stress, with genotype-specific antioxidant responses playing a key role in tolerance (Nowicki et al., 2025). In melon (Cucumis melo L.), salicylic acid priming significantly enhanced germination, physiological performance, and fruit yield, with optimal results at 50% field capacity (Alam et al., 2022). Similarly, in green gram (Vigna radiata L.), halopriming with NaCl alleviated the negative effects of PEG-induced drought and salinity stress by maintaining shoot growth, chlorophyll content and membrane stability. 4.2 Salinity stress Seed priming has shown significant potential to mitigate the adverse effects of salinity in several vegetable species by enhancing osmotic adjustment, antioxidant activity and ion homeostasis (Ibrahim, 2016). In salt-sensitive lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), hydropriming improved germination synchronization, fresh and dry biomass, and reduced membrane damage under salinity stress, outperforming KNO3 and GA3 treatments (Adhikari et al., 2022). Similarly, in melon (Cucumis melo L.), seed priming with NaCl or CaCl2 for two days improved germination and early seedling growth under high salinity (8.0 dS/m), along with enhanced chlorophyll content, water balance and antioxidant response (Castañares and Bouzo, 2020).
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