Seed deterioration is when a seed loses its vigor and eventually loses viability. Seed viability is an important trait that directly influences seedling emergence and crop yield. The rate of seed deterioration varies on several factors. Our main aims were to express the methods for testing seed deterioration, factors influencing seed aging, stages of seed deterioration, changes associated with seed deterioration, Practical approaches to overcome seed deterioration, and the role of reactive oxygen species during seed aging. From this investigation, it can be concluded that high temperatures and high relative humidity can hasten the degradation of seeds. An increase in the loss of seed leachate, a drop in respiration rates and ATP production, a loss of enzyme activity, and organelle structural breakdown are often seen as changes as seeds age. Various factors can cause seed aging, but the main cause is probably oxidative damage brought on by free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Protein oxidation, lipid peroxidation, chromosomal abnormalities, and DNA damage can all be induced by ROS, which can have critical interactions with any macromolecule of biological significance. In the early stages of imbibition, some repairs may occur, and seeds will lose their viability within a short period. Seed deterioration can be retrieved through different priming and exogenous application of plant growth regulators.

This study investigated the germination and seedling vigour of tomato seeds cultivar BCT-25 under different priming treatments with the objective of enhancing the crop establishment under field conditions. We primed seeds with Moringa leaf extract for 18 hours; 1% NaCl for 36 hours; 10% Polyethylene glycol (PEG) for 12 hours; 100 ppm GA₃, 5% KNO₃ (under dark condition) and 1000 ppm Thiourea for 24 hours; distilled water for 12 hours; 2% KH₂PO₄ and 93 ppm NAA (at 4°C) for 6 hours and the control (T₀). All the treatments improved the seed germination and seedling vigour; however, we found the highest vigour from hydro priming followed by KH₂PO₄ in both years in contrast with the minimum vigour index from T₀. The highest mean germination percentage was found with hydro priming (T₇) followed by T₈, T₁, T₂, T₃ during both years, while the lowest average germination percentage was recorded for T₀. The highest magnitude of seedling emergence under field conditions was recorded with hydro priming, i.e., 89.67% in first and 86.67% in second year followed by T₈, T₁, T₂ while it was lowest for T₀ under laboratory condition. Hydro priming had the highest field vigour indexes than all other treatments. Hydro-priming and KH₂PO₄ had the best performance than other priming treatments. But, in some cases the hydro-priming and KH₂PO₄ were similar in both laboratory and field condition. We concluded that during the initial stage of plant growth hydro-priming and KH₂PO₄ had the best responses than other priming treatments.

In order to improve germination and vigour, the current study was conducted using three carrot varieties viz. Carrot Florence (G₁), Deb Kuroda-1 (G₂), and Deb Kuroda-3 (G₃), and various concentrations and durations of PEG-6000, including 0.1 MPa for 24 hours (T₂), 0.1 MPa for 48 hours (T₃), 0.25 MPa for 24 hours(T₄), 0.25 MPa for 48 hours (T₅), 0.40 MPa for 24 hours (T₆), and 0.40 MPa for 48 hours (T₇), non-primed seeds (T₁). A pre-sowing technique called seed priming produces a physiological environment that promotes more efficient seed germination. The experiment was carried out in the Department of Seed Science and Technology's seed testing lab at the BCKV, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal, India. According to the experiment's results, seeds treated with 0.25 MPa PEG-6000 soaking for 48 hours produced the best results among treatments over genotype; these seeds showed notably greater potential than seeds treated with other priming concentrations and durations. Deb Kuroda-3 is the best from a germination perspective, and Deb Kuroda-1 is the best from a vigour perspective. The best results were clearly obtained with a 0.25 MPa PEG-6000 soaking duration of 48 hours for seed quality parameters like germination energy (47.273), seedling Vigour Index-I (639.032), and germination index (5.503). Therefore, to improve seedling establishment, PEG-6000 0.25 Mpa pre-sowing treatment for 48 hours is recommended for carrot.

There are seventeen vital nutrients required for plant growth and development. Out of these essential nutrients the elements needed in trace amounts are known as micro-nutrients. Seed priming and treatment with micronutrients has the potential to meet crop micronutrient demand and improve seedling emergence and stand establishment, grain micronutrient enrichment and yield. Micronutrients may be applied to the soil, foliar sprayed or added as seed treatments or seed priming. While the essential amounts of micronutrients can be provided by any of these methods, foliar sprays have been more successful in yield improvement and seed quality enrichment. Due to high cost has limited its wider adjustment, particularly by wealth poor farmers. Micronutrients may be applied either by coating with micronutrients or by soaking in nutrient solution of a specific concentration for a specific duration (seed priming). The potential micronutrients for seed treatments are Zinc (Zn), Boron (B), Molybdenum (Mo), Manganese (Mn), Copper (Cu) and Cobalt (Co) for improving growth, development, yield and seed quality enrichment. Treated or primed seeds generally have better, faster and more integrated germination. Micronutrient application in seed can also be done through seed coating and pelleting. Seed priming or seed coating seems reasonable, inexpensive and an easy method of micronutrient delivery mostly by small land holders in developing countries.

Seed dormancy prevents an intact, viable seed from successfully germinating under ideal circumstances. In order for germination to occur when conditions are likely to be favourable for forming a new plant generation, this barrier to germination has developed differently among species through adaptation to the local environment. Although there is still a gap between biochemistry and morphogenesis, it is being bridged in many places slowly and methodically. This study attempts to evaluate the improvements made at a particular bridge, seed dormancy. One element of the phenomena of growth cessation is seed dormancy, which has as its central challenge the challenge of maintaining a growth potential without compromising biological integrity. It can be divided into primary and secondary dormancy. Due to endogenous causes and/or environmental conditions experienced by the mother plant, primary dormancy is developed during seed development. Non-dormant seeds can also enter a state of secondary dormancy, which is a form of dormancy that happens when germination conditions are unfavourable. This review will help in briefing the difference between dormant condition and quiescent condition of seed. Quiescence can be considered as a short period of dormancy. But, unlike dormancy, quiescence is reversible upon the return of suitable conditions. Numerous physical and physiological techniques, like as scarification and stratification, can be used to break the dormant state of seeds. Various dormancy breaking methods applied in several crop has been noted in this study. Roles of several plant hormones including Gibberellin (GA) and Abscisic acids (ABA) are regarded as the two main hormones that regulate seed development and germination in an antagonistic manner. This study focuses in particular on the molecular basis of ABA regulation of seed maturation, which includes regulation of dormancy. Various dormancy breaking methods applied in several crop mentioned in this review could also help researcher to further study the dormancy pattern and breaking of it on that particular crop.