Abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, heat and heavy metal toxicity are major constraints limiting global agricultural productivity and posing a serious threat to food security. Therefore, the development of sustainable and eco-friendly strategies to enhance crop resilience under adverse environmental conditions is imperative. Biopriming, a novel strategy for enhancing the physiological and biochemical activities of seeds through the use of beneficial microbes such as fungi, bacteria and yeast, has gained significant attention for its potential to improve plant tolerance under different abiotic stresses. This review explores the underlying mechanisms by which biopriming enhances stress resilience, including modulation of phytohormonal balance, activation of antioxidant defence systems, osmolyte accumulation and improved nutrient acquisition. In addition, the contributions of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), endophytes and fungal inoculants in inducing systemic stress tolerance are critically evaluated. Evidence from recent studies demonstrates that biopriming can improve seed germination by 10–15 %, seedling vigour by 10–20 %, root and shoot growth by 10–15 %, chlorophyll retention by 10–20 % and grain or biomass yield by 5–10 % under various stress conditions, depending on crop species, microbial strain and severity of stress. Thus, seed biopriming has the potential to bridge the gap between potential and actual yield and serves as a valuable approach to improve crop performance and productivity under adverse environments. By unlocking the potential of bioinoculants, agricultural production systems can become more resilient to climate change.
