Effects of seed hydropriming in presence of exogenous proline on chilling injury limitation in Vigna radiata L. seedlings

Three-day-old seedlings (t(0) stage) of Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek obtained from seeds hydroprimed (H) and hydroprimed with proline (HPro) were examined. H and HPro slightly improved mung bean seed germination and seedlings growth at 5 degrees C. The best growth was observed in the seedlings obtain from HPro5 (5 mM) seeds in comparison with the seedlings obtained from the control-non-primed seeds and H seeds. Exposure of mung bean seedlings grown from non- primed seeds to chilling for 4 days induced chilling injury: membrane lipid peroxidation, decrease in endogenous proline level and inhibition of growth of roots and hypocotyls. The seedlings obtain from HPro seeds grew better during the time of chilling and after rewarming at 25 degrees C. The possible role of HPro in chilling injury limitation is discussed.