Seed germination and root development are vital phases of the plant growth process; however, these steps are strongly influenced by the seed characteristics and environmental conditions. Seed priming provides a condition for uniform and rapid germination and plant establishment. Limited studies are available on the effect of seed priming to ameliorate cadmium (Cd) stress in thyme plants. Hence, the effect of seed hormopriming (salicylic acid and jasmonic acid, 100 mg.l⁻¹) was evaluated. Hydropriming was done using double distilled water. Seed priming significantly increased the seed germination percentage (GP) and germination rate (GR) at all stress levels of Cd contamination. SA-primed seed showed the greatest increase in GP and GR at 30 mg.l⁻¹ Cd by 26 and 37 %, respectively, compared with the control. Salicylic acid (SA) increased plumule and radicle length 29 and 43 %, respectively, at 30 mg.l⁻¹ of Cd concentration compared with the control seeds. SA pretreatment increased plumule dry weight more than radicle dry weight. The leaf antioxidant enzyme activity was increased with increasing Cd concentration. Seed priming with SA increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POX) activity by 14 and 15 %, respectively. Leaf malondialdehyde (MDA) content was increased 15 % at 30 mg.l⁻¹ Cd concentration compared with the control plants, but SA priming reduced leaf MDA content 18 % compared with the control seeds. The greatest leaf proline content was observed at 30 mg.l⁻¹ Cd concentration and SA priming. Regardless of the priming treatment, the greatest leaf protein content was observed at 10 mg.l⁻¹ Cd concentration compared with the control. Seed priming with SA diminished the adverse effects of Cd on germination process via enhancing the antioxidant activities and accumulation of osmolytes. Therefore, hormopriming of thyme seeds by SA can enhance the resistance of this valuable medicinal herb to cadmium stress.

种子发芽和根系发育是植物生长过程的关键阶段。但是，这些步骤受种子特性和环境条件的强烈影响。种子引发为均匀，快速发芽和植物定植提供了条件。关于种子引发对改善百里香植物中镉（Cd）胁迫的影响的研究还很有限。因此，评估了种子激素引发的作用（水杨酸和茉莉酸，100 mg.l ^-1）。使用双重蒸馏水进行加氢底涂。在镉污染的所有胁迫水平下，种子引发均显着提高了种子发芽率（GP）和发芽率（GR）。SA引发的种子在30 mg.l ^-1时GP和GR的增加最大与对照相比，镉分别降低了26％和37％。与对照种子相比，在30 mg.l ^-1的Cd浓度下，水杨酸（SA）的幼芽和胚根长度分别增加29％和43％。SA预处理增加的胚芽干重比胚根干重更多。叶片抗氧化酶活性随镉浓度的增加而增加。用SA引发的种子分别使超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）和过氧化物酶（POX）活性增加14％和15％。与对照植物相比，在30 mg.l ^-1 Cd浓度下，叶片丙二醛（MDA）含量增加了15％，但是与对照种子相比，SA引发使叶片MDA含量降低了18％。在30 mg.l ^-1处观察到最大的叶片脯氨酸含量镉浓度和SA启动。无论是否进行引发处理，与对照相比，在10 mg.l ^-1 Cd浓度下观察到最大的叶蛋白含量。用SA引发种子可以通过增强抗氧化活性和渗透压物质的积累来减少Cd对发芽过程的不利影响。因此，通过SA激发百里香种子可增强这种有价值的草药对镉胁迫的抵抗力。