TY - JOUR
T1 - Larger seed size shows less germination and seedling growth decline caused by seed ageing under Na2CO3 stress in leymus chinensis
AU - Ao, Yunna
AU - Wang, Junfeng
AU - Liu, Mengxing
AU - Wang, Jiao
AU - Knops, Johannes M.H.
AU - Mu, Chunsheng
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 The author(s).
PY - 2019/9/1
Y1 - 2019/9/1
N2 - Understanding of seed germination in sodic soils is needed to accelerate the restoration process in degraded saline-sodic grassland. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of seed age (2 vs. 6 yr) and seed size (small vs. large) on seed germination and seedling growth in sodic grasslands. Older seeds (6 vs. 2 yr) reduced seed germination by 29%, germination potential by 36%, and the seedling vigor index by 52%. Seed size (small vs. large) reduced seed germination by 18%, germination potential by 20%, and seedling vigor by 19%. Sodic salt stress (>10 mM Na2CO3) decreased germination by 64%, germination potential by 68%, and seedling vigor index by 33%. Sodic salt stress decreases in seed germination and seedling vigor increased with seed age. These findings suggest that younger and large seeds are preferable for restoration efforts in sodic soils. Thus, in regions where the soil has a high level of sodicity, we suggest that large seeds be selected and stored only for a short period of time for seeding.
AB - Understanding of seed germination in sodic soils is needed to accelerate the restoration process in degraded saline-sodic grassland. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of seed age (2 vs. 6 yr) and seed size (small vs. large) on seed germination and seedling growth in sodic grasslands. Older seeds (6 vs. 2 yr) reduced seed germination by 29%, germination potential by 36%, and the seedling vigor index by 52%. Seed size (small vs. large) reduced seed germination by 18%, germination potential by 20%, and seedling vigor by 19%. Sodic salt stress (>10 mM Na2CO3) decreased germination by 64%, germination potential by 68%, and seedling vigor index by 33%. Sodic salt stress decreases in seed germination and seedling vigor increased with seed age. These findings suggest that younger and large seeds are preferable for restoration efforts in sodic soils. Thus, in regions where the soil has a high level of sodicity, we suggest that large seeds be selected and stored only for a short period of time for seeding.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85073420136&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2134/agronj2018.12.0757
DO - 10.2134/agronj2018.12.0757
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85073420136
SN - 0002-1962
VL - 111
SP - 2326
EP - 2331
JO - Agronomy Journal
JF - Agronomy Journal
IS - 5
ER -