The Effect of Hydro-Priming and Proline Priming of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) Seeds on Germination, Photosynthetic Pigments and Metal Metabolism under Cadmium Stress

Cadmium (Cd) is considered one of the most toxic heavy metals to living organisms, being very persistent in soil and non-biodegradable, thus posing a long-term hazard plants humans. In recent years, application different molecules at seed level, known as chemical priming, has been studied method improve stress tolerance plants. present study, we tested effect hydro-priming proline priming lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) seeds on germination, photosynthetic pigments, metal metabolism under cadmium stress. Plants primed with showed better germination (100% versus 84% for non-primed hydro-primed seeds). Priming 20 mM increased chlorophyll total contents by 40.8% 18.6%, respectively, while these parameters decreased other seedlings Cd Similarly, improved uptake Zn Fe roots This indicates that treatments may be beneficial maintaining normal capacity mineral stress, but further metabolomics transcriptomic data should reveal exact mechanisms action.