Abstract Seed coating technology, initially developed for agricultural enhancement, demonstrates emerging potential in ecological restoration yet faces critical knowledge gaps regarding its efficacy across degraded ecosystems. Through a systematic meta‐analysis, we demonstrate that seed coatings—particularly those incorporating microbial inoculants—enhance germination (+23.05%) and biomass (+43.33%) across degraded ecosystems. Coating efficacy exhibits stress‐dependent patterns: linear decline under salinity, quadratic responses to cold stress, and stress‐independent outcomes under drought. While current applications predominantly focus on Poaceae and Fabaceae, compatibility constraints with woody species and newly introduced restoration plants highlight the need for technological adaptation. The study identifies a critical disconnect between coating technology development and species selection priorities in restoration ecology, underscoring the need for cross‐disciplinary integration. We demonstrate that successful ecological restoration requires integration of seed coating with other restoration methods to address multi‐scale challenges. These findings provide crucial insights for developing targeted coating strategies in ecological restoration, while emphasizing the importance of comprehensive habitat optimization.
Ren et al. (Fri,) studied this question.