Effect of Biological Priming on Metabolomic and Molecular Changes in Response to Drought Stress in Brassica juncea

Indian mustard, Brassica juncea is a leading oilseed crop in India and plays a crucial role in the agricultural as well as oilseed home marketing system of the country. High oil and phytosterols, glucosinolate content make it a more valuable crop, and it is used for edible oil production, poultry feed. There, however, is always one major problem during the growth of trees and their productivity; drought. This paper discusses the use of bio-priming to compound drought resistance in Indian mustard. Bio-priming, which entails the use of various microorganisms in seed treatment is therefore modern system of farming. In the process of germination and plant growth it enhances the seed germination rate, seedling vigor and overall plant health through various metabolomic and molecular mechanisms. Researchers have demonstrated that bio-priming containing elements such as Pseudomonas fluorescens, Bacillus subtilis, and Trichoderma harzianum faciliates the uptake of sulfur, growth and improvement of tolerance to abiotic stresses. Furthermore, by impacting on expression of stress associated genes, bio-priming enhances the activity of the WRKY transcription factor as well as the production of abscisic acid (ABA) and jasmonic acid (JA), leading to drought tolerance. These first results based on drought tolerance genes help to priorities future breeding programs dedicated to the improvement of drought resistant cultivars. Bio-priming also stimulated the antioxidant defense pathway and improved the ability of plants to cope with oxidation pressure arising from drought stress. Overall, bio-priming is a relatively cost-effective, environmentally considerate method for enhancing drought tolerance in Indian mustard, thus being beneficial for sustainable farming and food production.