PJB-2025-1514
Unveiling auxin’s role in seed dormancy, germination and possible impact of IAA producing PGPR in seed bio-priming and plant growth
Sajid Ali and Yong-Sun Moon
Abstract
Seed dormancy and germination are key stages in the growth and development of plants and are pivotal to the survival and propagation of plants. Both dormancy and germination are very complex biological processes that are controlled by a wide range of important genes, hormone levels, signal transduction, and external environmental conditions. By ensuring coordination with favorable conditions, dormancy assists in avoiding premature germination during unfavorable conditions. Innate and enforced dormancy are the two main reasons for dormancy. Dormancy mechanisms are controlled by external factors, and germination can only begin under certain circumstances. With the resumption of metabolic functions and the use of stored energy, germination signals change from dormant to active growth. For the management of ecosystems, agriculture, and conservation, it is essential to understand seed dormancy and germination. Various studies reported that abscisic acid (ABA) is a positive regulator of dormancy induction and gibberellins (GA) counteract ABA effects and release dormancy. Similarly, some of recent studies revealed that indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) has a positive regulatory effect on seed dormancy and controls seed dormancy through stimulation of ABA. However, some of the researchers reported that IAA-priming and IAA-producing PGPRs enhance the germination and growth of the plants. Researchers also revealed that bio-priming based on rhizobacteria that produce IAA increases the germination of seeds and early growth. Examining the relationships among auxin (IAA), IAA-producing PGPRs, and seed biology reveals contradictory opinions for agricultural uses. Understanding this dynamic enhances our knowledge of basic mechanisms involved in seed bio-priming with IAA-producing PGPR. In the present article, we aimed to report the roles of IAA in seed dormancy and germination. We also discussed the conflicting findings on the role that IAA plays in seed dormancy, the crosstalk of IAA and ABA, and the possible role of IAA-producing rhizobacteria in seed bio-priming and plant growth
To Cite this article:
Ali, S. and Y.S. Moon. 2025. Unveiling auxin’s role in seed dormancy, germination and possible impact of IAA producing PGPR in seed bio-priming and plant growth. Pak. J. Bot., 57(2): DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.30848/PJB2025-2(16)
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