Plant seeds, seedlings, or developing plants are treated with aqueous, dry, or appropriately solvated chemical formulations composed of nucleotides or nucleosides buffered with an effective amount of non-toxic biologically compatible agents, simultaneously with an antioxidant and lipoxygenase enzyme inhibitor. The purpose is to improve or optimize seed germination rate, seedling vigor, and ultimately plant growth characteristics and yield performance. In the preferred embodiment, seeds or other plant tissues are treated with adenosine monophosphate buffered with an excess amount of phosphoric acid salts at about pH 7.0 as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,316. The improvement described in this application comprises the simultaneous addition of a similar quantity of propyl gallate to the adenosine monophosphate maintaining pH around 7.0 or below. Addition of a lesser, fractional quantity of a magnesium salt, such as magnesium sulfate, is to be included in the formulation to potentiate the action of the chemical treatment if planting soil or medium is shown to be magnesium deficient.
