Improvement of broccoli sprouts (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) growth and quality by KCl seed priming and methyl jasmonate under salinity stress

- The broccoli sprouts are very sensitive to salinity stress, reducing growth, water relations, glucosinolates and phenolic compounds.
- Seed priming may be a suitable treatment to increase growth and reduce negative effect of salinity.
- MeJA is an excellent elicitor for increasing the levels of phytochemicals in the sprouts.

Changes in the physiological and biochemical metabolism in broccoli sprouts treated with an elicitor (MeJA) and seed priming (KCl) under saline conditions were investigated in this study. Sprout germination, length, water relations, and root hydraulic conductivity, as well as glucosinolates and phenolic compounds, were determined in 10-d-old sprouts. The results show that salinity affected negatively all the parameters studied. Growth was only stimulated by seed priming under control and saline conditions. However, MeJA provided a positive response of the water relations parameters (osmotic and water potentials, and root hydraulic conductivity), and of the glucosinolate contents. Therefore, a possible complementarity with the treatments seed priming and MeJA that increased both growth and glucosinolate metabolism of the broccoli sprouts could provide the best sprouts management under salinity conditions.