Ascorbic Acid in Seeds, Priming and Beyond

Ascorbic acid (AsA) is mainly known as an antioxidant. However, if the peculiar features of the AsA system in the different stages of seed development and germinationare taken into consideration, it can be concluded that the function of AsA goes far beyond its antioxidant properties. The possible involvement of AsA in the regulation of hormone synthesis and in the epigenetic control of gene expression opens new directions to further research. In recent years, seed priming with AsA has been successfully used as a strategy to improve germination and plant productivity. Beneficial effects of seed AsA priming could be observed in several crop species, but the underlying molecular mechanism(s) are still unclear. The available evidence suggests that AsA priming induces a wide range of coordinated responses allowing primed seeds to overcome adverse environmental conditions.