Abstract Seed pre-treatments encompass a range of long-established techniques that continue to yield significant benefits in agriculture. These methods, collectively known as seed enhancement treatments (SET), comprise various strategies aimed at improving seed performance and seedling establishment in the field. The application of SET represents a growing market, characterized by the continual development of specialized products. Among the most prevalent SETs are seed embedding, pelleting, conditioning and priming. However, the terminology within this field is often applied inconsistently, with distinct concepts sometimes being used interchangeably. A prevalent inaccuracy in the literature is the conflation of the terms ‘priming’ and ‘conditioning’. This review aims to clarify the precise definitions of seed priming in relation to other imbibition-related techniques. We focus specifically on the concept, physiological effects and agronomic consequences of seed priming, while also addressing the concerns associated with misapplying this term to techniques that do not follow its specific protocols. Consequently, using an accurate and standardized concept of priming is essential to prevent misunderstanding and ensure clarity within the scientific literature. Significance of the study What is already known on this subject? Seed priming is a well-established pre-sowing treatment employed in agriculture to promote synchronized germination and enhance seedling vigour. The technique consists of a controlled hydration phase, where seeds are imbibed with a specific solution to initiate pre-germinative metabolic processes, followed by drying back the seeds to their original moisture content for storage or sowing. What are the new findings? The term “priming” is increasingly used in the literature to describe conceptually distinct techniques. This lack of terminological precision can compromise the reproducibility of methodologies. What is the expected impact on horticulture? For horticultural species in particular, such ambiguity may lead to suboptimal application and, consequently, to reduced seed quality or yield losses.
Bicalho et al. (Mon,) studied this question.