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Biology and Biotechnology of Environmental Stress Tolerance in Plants, Volume 3

an issue of reduced storability during post-priming periods. Furthermore,

being eco-friendly, exploitation of physical methods would offer a unique

option towards agricultural sustainability.

Among the physical means, magneto-priming is not only a non-ionizing

and non-invasive method but also an affordable dry seed priming treatment

and a novel technique with proven positive influences on seed germination

and the growth or yield of crops. Magneto-priming basically includes two

types of pre-sowing treatment either with the static magnetic field (SMF)

or electromagnetic field (EMF). Magneto-priming generally involves pre-

exposure of seed to magnetic fields with values greater than the earth’s

geomagnetic field. Apart from having stimulatory effects on seed germination

and crop growth, seed pre-treatment with magnetic fields has been reported

to favorably alter several physiological attributes and biochemical processes.

Moreover, magneto-priming can be used as a non-lethal physical stimulant

to the seed as it develops a stress memory within the seed. The imprint of

this priming memory is effectively carried to the subsequent growth stages

of crop plants, and as such it helps to build up protection against different

kinds of abiotic stresses. Though the underlying mechanisms involved in

magneto-priming induced enhancement in germination or plant growth are

not well-understood but the changes in electronic configuration, energy trans­

formation, activation, and regulation in the kinetics of several biochemical

pathways are thought to be the major reasons behind the positive responses

achieved under magneto-priming. With this background, this chapter aims to

elucidate the basics of magneto-priming and the possibilities of exploiting

this technique in improving the production, or the stress responses of crop

plants. Further, efforts have been made to summarize recent progress in

underlying mechanisms involved in magneto-priming.

5.1 INTRODUCTION

The agricultural production system needs to keep up the pace of increasing

rate of crop yield for food security of the ever-rising global population.

Thus, scientists are constantly in search of promising technologies that are

not only economical and eco-friendly rather have the potential to improve

germination, seedling vigor and ultimately enhance crop yield. Seed priming,

including both chemical and physical methods, is one of the technologies

that can be exploited to enhance seed quality and its field performance.

However, the physical techniques of seed priming have been revealed to