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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. 3 (2026)

Comparative effects of melatonin, glutathione and L-cysteine seed priming on wheat germination and seedling growth under NaCl-induced stress

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.13079
Submitted
5 December 2025
Published
21-07-2026 — Updated on 29-09-2026
Versions

Abstract

Salinity is one of the primary environmental constraints affecting crop yield through impairment of seed germination and early seedling establishment. This investigation evaluated the use of melatonin, glutathione and L-cysteine as potential priming agents to improve wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) germination and early growth under salinity stress. Seeds were exposed to 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mM sodium chloride (NaCl) to assess tolerance thresholds. There was a consistent decrease in all studied parameters (germination rate, shoot and root growth, fresh and dry biomass and chlorophyll levels) with increasing salinity; however, the greatest inhibition occurred at 200 mM NaCl. The use of 2 mM melatonin, glutathione or L-cysteine as priming agents before exposing seeds to 200 mM NaCl led to significant improvement across all measured parameters under salinity conditions. Specifically, germination increased by 53.28 %, 47.54 % and 45.9 % using melatonin, glutathione or L-cysteine treatments, respectively. Shoot length increased under each treatment (58.8 %, 47.1 % and 47 %), as did root length (56.0 %, 40.0 % and 38 %), along with fresh weight (58.8 %, 29.4 % and 41.2 %) and dry weight (57.1 %, 47.6 % and 52.4 %) when compared to non-treated controls. Melatonin-treated seeds showed greater recovery in chlorophyll content (55.6 %), while glutathione-treated seeds showed lower recovery (25 %) compared to L-cysteine (41.7 %). Additionally, all three compounds increased antioxidant enzyme activity (SOD, APX and CAT), with melatonin showing the highest increases (25 %, 42.86 % and 31.5 %). Malondialdehyde (MDA) content decreased by 41.03 %, 35.9 % and 29.5 % with each treatment, respectively, indicating decreased oxidative damage. Among the treatments, melatonin was the most efficacious, followed by L-cysteine and then glutathione. Overall, antioxidant-based seed priming provides a practical and efficient approach for promoting seed establishment and reducing the sensitivity of young seedlings under salinity stress.

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