@article{JIRA-ANUNKUL_PATTANAGUL_2020, title={Seed priming with hydrogen peroxide alleviates the effects of drought stress in rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings}, volume={48}, url={https://www.notulaebotanicae.ro/index.php/nbha/article/view/11829}, DOI={10.15835/nbha48111829}, abstractNote={<p style="text-align: justify;">Drought stress is a major factor limiting crop growth and yield. Hydrogen peroxide (H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>) is known as a signalling molecule in the plant cell in which activates multiple physiological changes that play essential roles in tolerance mechanism. This study investigated the effects of seed priming with H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> on growth, some physiological characteristics and antioxidant enzyme activities in rice seedling under drought stress. Rice (<em>Oryza sativa</em> L.) cv. Khao Dawk Mali 105 seeds were primed with 0 (distilled water), 1, 5, 10, and 15 mM H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> and grown for 21 days. The seedlings were subjected to drought stress by withholding water for 7 days. The results showed that priming with low concentrations of H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> improved plant growth and biomass as well as relative water content, malondialdehyde content, electrolyte leakage. Priming with H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>, however, had no beneficial effect on chlorophyll content, proline and leaf total soluble sugar. Seed priming with appropriate levels of H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> also enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and guaiacol peroxidase (GPX). It is concluded that seed priming with 2-10 mM H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>, is beneficial for enhancing drought tolerance in rice seedling by increasing antioxidant capacity, which in turn reduces oxidative stress and damages to the cellular components.</p>}, number={1}, journal={Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca}, author={JIRA-ANUNKUL, Weeraphorn and PATTANAGUL, Wattana}, year={2020}, month={Mar.}, pages={273–283} }