A seed is a basic input for crop production and if good germination is not established,  the optimum population in the field can’t be maintained which ultimately affects the crop yield. Seed priming is a relatively new practice that is associated to increase seed hydration followed by seed redrying to encourage prompt germination and better seed performance. Seed priming is the technique to improve the rate and uniformity of germination. Seed priming triggers the pre-germinative physiological and biochemical activity of the seed without the actual emergence of the radical. Seed priming centers for the rapid and uniform germination of the seed thereby having a considerable role in the increase in the production and quality of the direct-seeded crops. Seed shows a good response to the environment during the process of germination They are also responsible for the improved seedling vigor and growth. Seed priming has gained a lot of importance in recent times as it emerged as a most promising area of seed quality enhancement technique. Thus, seed priming is the major factor for the increased crop production via early emergence, advanced flowering, and early maturity of the crop.

Seed response to the seed priming differs even though they belong to the same cultivar. There are mainly two main factors behind the successful seed priming. First being the optimum level of moisture content helps to break dormancy due to hard seed coats as well triggers activate series of the chemical change in the seed causing shortening the time of radical protrusion. The second-factor being temperature which governs the series of chemical reactions going through the seeds. There are various methods of seed priming performed by the farmers to increase crop production. Some of the widely followed them are hydropriming, osmopriming, chemopriming.

       A) Hydropriming

Soaking the seeds in water for about 12-18 hours according to the crop species followed by redrying before the actual germination takes place is the process of hydropriming. It is the most practiced method of seed priming as it is the simplest way to carry. Although it is the simplest way of seed priming, the basic setback in successful hydropriming is that sometimes the seeds are not evenly hydrated which doesn’t lead to the uniform activation of the physiological process of the seed thereby causing failure of the uniform seed germination. This method of seed priming is difficult to handle and can incur imbibitional damage if seeds are subjected to prolonged hydration.

       B) Osmopriming

Osmopriming is immersing seeds in an aqueous solution of chemically inert but osmotically active compounds inhibiting radicular emergence. The osmotic solution having low water potential used in osmopriming is polyethylene glycol (PEG), KNO3, mannitol, KH2PO4, and other salts having higher molecular weight. The use of salts and mannitol are commonly practiced. PEG is the most effective at lowering the water potential and the use of PEG is most preferred in osmopriming. This method is more successful in small-seeded crops and less successful in large-seeded crops.

       C) Chemopriming

Chemopriming is the immersion of seeds in various inorganic salt solutions like KCl, KNO3, CaCl2, KH PO4, gibberellic acid, succinic acid, salicylic acid, ethrel, etc. It is one of the approaches of seed priming to combat drought tolerance in the crop plants.