To improve the germination quality of tobacco seeds, cultivate strong seedlings, and develop a novel tobacco seed vitality synergist, the major flue-cured tobacco cultivator Zhongyan 100 seeds were used as experimental materials in this study. Water was used as the control, and the effects of gibberellin, Haiyinong, and different concentrations of straw-derived smoke water on seed germination and seedling growth were compared. Treatment with smoke water at a 1:800 dilution significantly increased germination potential, germination rate, and germination index by 4.30%, 3.93%, and 5.62% respectively, compared to the control. Notably, the germination index under this treatment was significantly better than that under Haiyinong treatment. The dynamic changes in antioxidant enzyme activity during seed germination in all treatments were generally consistent with those of the control. The root dry mass, shoot fresh mass, and dry mass of tobacco seedlings treated with 1∶800 smoke water were significantly greater than those treated with gibberellin, with the increases of 35.32%, 53.19%, and 43.92%, respectively. However, chlorophyll content under smoke water treatment was significantly lower than that under gibberellin treatment. Under dual treatment of seed initiation and seedling spraying with 1∶800 smoke water, the membership function values of key indicators including plant height, root length, shoot and root dry and fresh mass, and chlorophyll content were higher than those observed with Haiyinong and gibberellin treatments. These results indicate that smoke water at this concentration most effectively promotes tobacco seed germination and seedling growth, demonstrating its promising application potential.

With its high efficiency, safety, low cost, and environmental friendliness. The smoke water can serve as a new green plant growth promoter for tobacco seed priming and seedling cultivation. This study also provides a reference for the broader application of smoke water in seed priming and seedling development of other crops.