Effects of Exogenous Glutathione on Seed Vigour
Seed vigour, the central metric of seed quality, directly governs field emergence, seedling stress tolerance and final crop yield. Environmental stresses and seed ageing are the primary drivers of its decline. Glutathione (GSH), a key non-enzymatic antioxidant in plants, not only maintains cellular redox homeostasis but also, when applied exogenously, effectively boosts seed vigour, offering a practical solution to poor germination under adverse conditions.
Alleviating diverse abiotic stresses
Exogenous GSH significantly improves germination performance and seedling vigour by mitigating damage from multiple abiotic stresses. Under water stress, GSH pre-treatment enhances the metabolic activity of maize seeds, promotes photosynthetic pigment synthesis, and increases the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as SOD and POD while elevating the accumulation of osmolytes including reducing sugars and soluble proteins, thereby counteracting the inhibitory effect of water deficit on germination. In soils contaminated with heavy metals—e.g. excess Cu²⁺—100 µmol L⁻¹ GSH strengthens the antioxidant system of pea seeds, protects photosystem II, and stimulates uptake of macro-elements (N, P, K) and micro-elements (Fe, Zn), reducing metal-induced metabolic disruption. For cucumber and pumpkin seeds suffering from autotoxicity, GSH raises α-amylase activity to accelerate starch mobilisation for respiratory energy, curbs excessive proline accumulation, re-establishes osmotic balance and restores normal germination.
Promoting root and leaf growth of seedlings
Against vigour loss caused by seed ageing, exogenous GSH exerts pronounced repair and protective effects. Long-term storage leads to ROS accumulation, mitochondrial damage and protein carbonylation; GSH priming restores mitochondrial membrane integrity and cristae architecture, lowers H₂O₂ levels and lipid peroxidation, and enhances AsA-GSH-cycle enzymes (DHAR, MDHAR) to re-energise mitochondrial metabolism. Studies on aged seeds of brome grass and oat show that GSH outperforms other antioxidants such as ascorbate (AsA) or melatonin (MT) in increasing germination percentage and promoting root and leaf growth. It also sustains the GSH/GSSG ratio, slowing the rate of vigour decline.
Enhancing seed vigour
Via the core pathway “pre-adjustment of redox status → activation of defence systems → repair of damaged structures”, exogenous GSH maintains and elevates seed vigour under both stress and ageing conditions. Its mechanism is clear and its range of applications is broad. Future optimisation of GSH dosage and treatment duration for specialty crops—especially forage grasses—combined with molecular breeding to identify genes governing GSH-mediated vigour regulation, will provide stronger technical support for high-quality seed production and sustainable agriculture.
Reference
Sun M, Wang L, Sun X-C, et al. Research progress on the regulation of seed vigour by glutathione (GSH) in plants. Acta Agrestia Sinica, 1-19 [2025-09-15]. https://link.cnki.net/urlid/11.3362.S.20250827.1129.002
*Special note - This article is for informational purposes only and cannot replace a doctor's treatment diagnosis and advice. It should not be regarded as a recommendation or proof of efficacy of the medical products involved. If it involves disease diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation, please be sure to go to a professional medical institution to seek professional advice.
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