Seed priming with <i>Aloe vera</i> and <i>Trichoderma asperellum</i> improves germination in chickpea under osmotic and temperature stress

The productivity of chickpea is often hampered by drought and extreme temperatures, especially during the early growth stages, which are intensifying with climate change. Chickpea seeds were primed with Aloe vera leaf extract (AvLE), Trichoderma asperellum and their combination. Primed seeds were subjected to osmotic stress (0.0, -0.15 and -0.50 MPa) or temperature stress (high, 30°C; optimum, 20°C; and low, 15°C). Seed priming with AvLE and T. asperellum significantly improved chickpea performance under osmotic or temperature stress conditions in comparison to hydro-primed seeds. Under osmotic stress, AvLE seed priming increased germination, seedling length, seedling dry weight, vigour index I and vigour index II by 18.4%, 54%, 25.6%, 50.8% and 64.7%, respectively. Similarly, under temperature stress, AvLE enhanced the germination and vigour index I by 12% and 22.9%, respectively, while T. asperellum treatment resulted in a 15.8% increase in seedling length. The findings suggest that AvLE priming enhances the resilience chickpea seeds to adverse environmental conditions. Future investigations should focus on unravelling the physiological and molecular stress response mechanisms underlying the observed germination and growth improvements provided by AvLE.