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Germination biology of dimorphic seeds of the annual halophyte common seepweed (Suaeda glauca)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 December 2019

Hongfei Wang
Affiliation:
Lecturer, School of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
Lin Kong
Affiliation:
Undergraduate Student, School of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
Rui Gao
Affiliation:
Research Officer, Dandong Forestry and Grassland Development Service Center, Dandong, China
Buhailiqiemu Abudureheman
Affiliation:
Associate Professor, Aksu Campus, Xinjiang University Institute of Science and Technology, Aksu, China
Xinyang Li
Affiliation:
Graduate Student, School of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
Qiuli Li*
Affiliation:
Professor, School of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
*
Author for correspondence: Qiuli Li, Professor, School of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, No. 850 Huanghe Road Shahekou District, Dalian, China. (E-mail: skyliqiuli@163.com)

Abstract

Common seepweed [Suaeda glauca (Bunge) Bunge] is a common salt-tolerant weed species distributed across the agricultural regions of northern China. It produces dimorphic seeds with different phenotypic characteristics and seed sizes. However, there is no information regarding the germination biology of these dimorphic seeds. Studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of ecological factors such as temperature, light, pH, osmotic stress, salt concentration, and planting depth on seed germination and seedling emergence. The results showed that brown seeds were nondormant, whereas black seeds had an intermediate physiological dormancy. The germination percentage of brown seeds was more than 80% at all temperature regimes and light conditions, but the optimum germination occurred at the cold thermoperiod of 20/10 C. In contrast, less than 6% of black seeds germinated at all temperature regimes and light conditions. Eight weeks of cold stratification did not break the dormancy of black seeds, whereas low concentrations of gibberellic acid (0.1 and 1.0 mM) significantly increased seed germination. Removal of the testa of black seeds also promoted germination and produced normal seedlings. Brown seeds showed moderate tolerance to salt stress, with 16% germination percentage at a salt concentration of 600 mM NaCl. The germination of brown seeds was 38% at an osmotic potential stress of −0.8 MPa; above that, no germination was obtained. Brown seeds germinated well in a wide pH range (4 to 10), with a germination percentage higher than 95%. Seedling emergence percentage was higher than 90% at burial depths of 0 to 2 cm, while germination percentage severely decreased for brown seeds with burial depths >2 cm, indicating that shallow tillage could be an effective measure to minimize seed germination. Information gathered from this study will help to develop an effective protocols for controlling S. glauca.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© Weed Science Society of America, 2019

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Footnotes

Associate Editor Name & Institution: Hilary A. Sandler, University of Massachusetts

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