Editorial: Seed Science and Technology. Volume 51 Issue 2 (2023)

Abstract

Seed-enhancement treatments as a theme run through many of the papers in the second issue of volume 51 of Seed Science and Technology: the uses of priming are explored in two papers, one of which compares agents with the potential to improve chilling tolerance of tobacco seed during germination, and the other suggests Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens as forms of biocontrol against Bacterial Fruit Blotch when priming melon seeds. Dormancy-breaking is essential for many species, and two papers proffer suggestions that can be applied to seeds of cucumber (dry heat) and to kala zeera (chilling, phytohormones). A lesser-utilised seed enhancement, that of plasma pre-treatments, is explored in terms of promoting seedling growth and development when applied to seeds of a popular horticultural species, Platycodon grandiflorus. Cautionary notes when following approved seed testing methods are sounded in a finding that the impact of variety complicates the interpretation of results when using the radicle emergence test to evaluate seed quality of wheat, and in a report of the results of a capacity-building exercise, where the correlation between skill levels and successful propagation of Melia volkensii seeds was evident. Useful SSR markers for assessing genetic similarity and degree of purity of wheat cultivars grown in Romania are suggested, as too is an approach to using germination and/or viability data in order to allow seed banks to make data-informed management decisions that would ensure time and resources are effectively allocated. An invited review gives a thorough and comprehensive review of all matters relating to the determination and control of seed moisture, and includes discussions on water activity and working with seed that needs to be at high moisture contents. A book review of “Plant Regeneration from Seeds: A Global Warming Perspective” strikes a positive note, concluding that it will leave readers with “a deep appreciation for the complex interplay of factors that influence plant regeneration and the potential consequences for ecosystems around the world”.