Resistance induction to drought and charcoal disease in brant’s oak seedling by seed priming

This study investigates the use of seed priming with different materials to induce resistance to charcoal disease and drought in the first year of growth of brant's oak. The seeds were soaked in solutions of salicylic acid, indole butyric acid, and potassium nitrate with three different concentrations, and the seedlings were tested for resistance to oak charcoal and drought. Both water deficit treatment (25 percent field capacity) and inoculation with the pathogenic fungus (Biscogniauxia mediterranea) declined photosystem performance, chlorophyll index, water potential, transpiration, and stomatal conductance in brant’s oak seedlings. The results show that priming of seeds with 150 ppm salicylic acid had the greatest effect on limiting stem lesion in the resulting seedlings and maintained the root potential of the root and stem under conditions of moisture stress. Priming with 100 ppm indole butyric acid showed similar effects in limiting the lesion but showed weaker effects than salicylic acid on plant water relationships and the abundance of ray parenchyma cells. Potassium nitrate (0.5 percent) had no effect on disease resistance and did not alter plant water relations. Overall, the study suggests that seed priming with salicylic acid plays an effective role in inducing systemic resistance of seedlings to charcoal disease and drought in the first year. The findings of this study can offer new insights to achieve improved seedlings.