Improvement of Pisum sativum salt stress tolerance by bio-priming their seeds using Typha angustifolia leaves aqueous extract

• Salt stress negatively influenced physiological and biochemical responses of pea.
• Seed bio-priming alleviated the inhibitory effect of salt stress of pea.
• Bio-priming improved the resistance salt stress in pea.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of seed bio-priming on the salinity tolerance of pea (Pisum sativum L.), variety Lincoln. The aqueous extract of Typha angustifolia L. leaves at 40 g/L, was used for the pretreatment. The experiment was carried out in the presence of 0, 240, and 320 mM NaCl for germination and 0 and 120 mM for growth which was made hydroponically. Two seed lots were considered primed (P) and not primed (NP). Results revealed that salt stress adversely affected the germination, growth, membrane integrity, respiration, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, mineral composition (K+ and P) of pea. However, it increased Na+, proline, total soluble sugars, and secondary metabolites (polyphenols, flavonoids, and alkaloids) accumulation. Seed priming reduced the negative impact of salt in all cases. Indeed, plants developed from primed seeds showed better response to salinity by the protection of membrane integrity, the maintenance of the highest values of osmotica (proline, total soluble sugars, K+, and P) and by the amelioration of chlorophyll and carotenoid content. Hence, bio-priming of pea seeds seems to be a reliable procedure to increase the pea salinity tolerance and to win more biomass which can probably have an important impact on seed yield.