Osmopriming Increases Seed Germination of Amaranthus cruentus (L.)

Amaranth is considered a gluten-free, protein-rich pseudocereal. However, seed dormancy affects the germination rate and production. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of osmopriming, hydropriming, priming with Algal and chia-seed extract biostimulants, scarification, and different combinations of them on seed germination. The results showed that hydropriming, osmopriming, (at least by 13%), and speed (two days earlier) of germination compared to the control. The same trend was observed, to a lesser extent, for priming with a biostimulant. The production of osmopriming has recently started in France. However, seed priming offers a promising solution to overcome the lack of germination. The aim of this study was to test several priming methods and their impact on amaranth seed germination. An imbibition curve was first established and showed that the first two germination phases were reached at 12 h after imbibition. Duration had no effect on germination compared to the control. In contrast, increasing the rate measurement of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity revealed a peak during the first few hours. The largest peak was observed for this. These results suggest growing amaranth by increasing the germination rate.