Multi-agent Comparison: Toward a Hierarchy of Priming Solutions for the Resilience of Lens culinaris Medik. to Saline Stress

Background: Salinity is considered a major abiotic factor that restricts the germination and growth of legumes, including lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.), due to its detrimental effects on physiological and biochemical behaviour. In order to mitigate these effects, in this context, seed priming emerges as an effective approach to enhance their tolerance to saline stress. Methods: Eight priming strategies were applied to lentil seeds, including KH2PO4 (1%), KH2PO4 (3%), KNO3 (1.5%), KNO3 (3%), PEG (10%), ascorbic acid (As A. 0,1 mmol) and (As A. 0,6 mmol) and the control (unprimed). Result: The results reveal that As A. (0.1% mmol) and (0.6% mmol) emerge as the most effective, maintaining high germination rates (82.5-90%) under saline stress. Furthermore, KH2PO4 (1%) shows moderate efficiency with an 80% germination rate under saline stress, while PEG (10%) and KNO3 (5%) exhibit poor performance. The results obtained reveal marked differential effects of the various types of priming. Treatments based on ascorbic acid (As A. 0.1% and 0.6% mmol ) demonstrate better efficacy, significantly stimulating root length (62.16-74.5 mm) and epicotyl (71.41 mm) and generating the highest vigour index (931.5-1166.7), which could be explained by their antioxidant action neutralising reactive oxygen species and preserving cellular integrity. KH2PO4 (1%) shows moderate efficacy with a root length (42.25 mm) and vigour index (372.35). Priming with ascorbic acid (As A.) enhances the resilience of Lens culinarisMedik. against the harmful effects of saline stress at germination and seedling growth.