Germination and seedling establishment are critical stages in the plant life cycle. In crop
production, stand establishment determines plant density, uniformity and management
options. A method to improve the rate and uniformity of germination is the priming or
physiological advancement of the seed lot. The general purpose of seed priming is to
partially hydrate the seed to a point where germination processes are begun, but not
completed. Treated seeds are usually re-dried to primary moisture before use, but they
would exhibit rapid germination when re-imbibed under normal or stress conditions.
Such controlled imbibitions of seed followed by dehydration were shown to improve
germination and early seedling growth under compared to seedlings grown from
untreated seed. Various pre-hydration or priming treatments have been employed to
increase the speed and synchrony of seed germination. In this paper the effects of seed
priming on germination, seedling growth and field performance of different crops were
reviewed.