Seed priming with proline improved photosystem II efficiency and growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Background: Proline can promote growth of plants by increasing photosynthetic activity under both non-stress and abiotic stress conditions. However, its role in non-stressed conditions is least studied. An experiment was conducted to assess as to whether increase in growth of wheat due to seed priming with proline under non-stress condition was associated with proline-induced changes in photosystem II (PSII) activity. Seeds of four wheat varieties (S-24, Sehar-06, Galaxy-13, and Pasban-90) were primed with different concentrations of proline (0, 5, 15 and 25 mM) for 12 h and allowed to grow under normal conditions. Biomass accumulation and photosynthetic performance, being two most sensitive features/indicators of plant growth, were selected to monitor proline modulated changes.

Results: Seed priming with proline increased the fresh and dry weights of shoots and roots, and plant height of all four wheat varieties. Maximum increase in growth attributes was observed in all four wheat varieties at 15 mM proline. Maximum growth improvement due to proline was found in var. Galaxy-13, whereas the reverse was true for S-24. Moreover, proline treatment changed the Fo, Fm, Fv/Fo, PI, PI in wheat varieties indicating changes in PSII activity. Proline induced changes in energy fluxes for absorption, trapping, electron transport and heat dissipation per reaction center indicated that var. Galaxy-13 had better ability to process absorbed light energy through photosynthetic machinery. Moreover, lesser PSII efficiency in var. S-24 was due to lower energy flux for electron transport and greater energy flux for heat dissipation. This was further supported by the fact that var. S-24 had disturbance at acceptor side of PSI as reflected by reduction in ΔV, probability and energy flux for electron transport at the PSI end electron acceptors.

Conclusion: Seed priming with proline improved the growth of wheat varieties, which depends on type of variety and concentration of proline applied. Seed priming with proline significantly changed the PSII activity in wheat varieties, however, its translation in growth improvement depends on potential of processing of absorbed light energy by electron acceptors of electron transport chain, particularly those present at PSI end.