An Overview of Seed Germination Mechanisms as a Target for Seed Priming

As a central developmental phenomenon, seed germination is highly vulnerable to abiotic stresses, which strongly influence subsequent plant development and ultimately determine crop establishment and yield. An improved understanding of seed germination mechanisms has enabled the development of diverse crop enhancement strategies. Among these, seed priming has become a key tool in sustainable agriculture, widely used to boost plant stress tolerance and improve overall productivity. Among the various priming techniques, hydropriming involves the controlled hydration of seeds that initiates germinative events, followed by drying to arrest metabolism. The effectiveness of hydropriming depends on the precise modulation of germination to activate stress-related physiological responses. However, limited knowledge of the molecular dynamics underlying seed germination remains the main bottleneck for developing next-generation priming methods. This review comprehensively covers the genetics, epigenetics, and biochemical mechanisms of germination induced by hydropriming of seeds in higher plants.