Primed seeds of Sarcomphalus joazeiro (Mart.) Hauenschild (Rhamnaceae) produce high tolerant seedlings

Discontinuous hydration in seeds occurs commonly in species from semi-arid regions. This process of hydration and dehydration in seeds can act as a primary stimulus and activate stress memory, improving seed germination by releasing dormancy or enhancing drought tolerance. Sometimes, stimuli occur at one stage of life, and the memory is evoked at another. This somatic memory is advantageous for the survival and perpetuation of some plant species in semi-arid areas. In this study, we investigated whether the seeds of Sarcomphalus joazeiro, a native Brazilian species of seasonally dry tropical forest, called Caatinga, treated with cycles of hydration and dehydration show differences in germination parameters with a significant response transferred to the seedlings. The results found in this study show that hydration and dehydration cycles on seeds improve germination, increasing both germination and synchrony, and reduce the time required for germination. In addition, seedlings exposed to water deficit conditions improved performance, and growth patterns were altered after seed exposition to hydration and dehydration cycles. These results suggest that seed hydration memory engaged to the seedling stage in S. joazeiro. Seedlings from seeds that underwent discontinuous hydration before germination performed better in intermittent drought tolerance as evidence of memory evoked at different stages of plant development.