Mechanisms regulating germination in seeds of Stylosanthes

1975 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 281 ◽  
Author(s):  
CJ Gardener

Seed coat impermeability, embryo dormancy, decline in embryo vigour and the effect of adhering pods on germination were measured monthly on 15 lines of Stylosanthes which had weathered on the soil surface. The effect of pod and seed coat on imbibition was investigated in S. humilis over a range of soil water contents. The level of impermeability of newly harvested seed was initially high for all lines, but the rates of loss varied both between and within species, which indicated the possibility of screening for residual hard seed. The lines also differed in their ability to maintain impermeability over a 14-day germination period. The initial level of embryo dormancy varied between species but the protection afforded against germination was short lived. Decline in embryo vigour appeared to be partly caused by the testa restricting the radicle mechanically. The presence of pods enclosing the seed reduced germination by a mean of 15.4%, but this ranged from 1% in a line of S. guyanensis with thin papery pods to 42% in a line of S. viscosa with thick strong pods. There was no evidence of germination inhibitors in either pods or seed coats, but both restricted the entry of water into the seed. Imbibed seed could be dehydrated without damage provided the radicle had not emerged from the seed coat. This occurred when the water content of the seed reached 90%.

Author(s):  
MUHAMMAD ASLAM ALI ◽  
SANJIT CHANDRA BARMAN ◽  
MD. ASHRAFUL ISLAM KHAN ◽  
MD. BADIUZZAMAN KHAN ◽  
HAFSA JAHAN HIYA

Climate change and water scarcity may badly affect existing rice production system in Bangladesh. With a view to sustain rice productivity and mitigate yield scaled CH4 emission in the changing climatic conditions, a pot experiment was conducted under different soil water contents, biochar and silicate amendments with inorganic fertilization (NPKS). In this regard, 12 treatments combinations of biochar, silicate and NPKS fertilizer along with continuous standing water (CSW), soil saturation water content and field capacity (100% and 50%) moisture levels were arranged into rice planted potted soils. Gas samples were collected from rice planted pots through Closed Chamber technique and analyzed by Gas Chromatograph. This study revealed that seasonal CH4 emissions were suppressed through integrated biochar and silicate amendments with NPKS fertilizer (50–75% of the recommended doze), while increased rice yield significantly at different soil water contents. Biochar and silicate amendments with NPKS fertilizer (50% of the recommended doze) increased rice grain yield by 10.9%, 18.1%, 13.0% and 14.2%, while decreased seasonal CH4 emissions by 22.8%, 20.9%, 23.3% and 24.3% at continuous standing water level (CSW) (T9), at saturated soil water content (T10), at 100% field capacity soil water content (T11) and at 50% field capacity soil water content (T12), respectively. Soil porosity, soil redox status, SOC and free iron oxide contents were improved with biochar and silicate amendments. Furthermore, rice root oxidation activity (ROA) was found more dominant in water stress condition compared to flooded and saturated soil water contents, which ultimately reduced seasonal CH4 emissions as well as yield scaled CH4 emission. Conclusively, soil amendments with biochar and silicate fertilizer may be a rational practice to reduce the demand for inorganic fertilization and mitigate CH4 emissions during rice cultivation under water stress drought conditions.


2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 189-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beibei Zhou ◽  
Xiaopeng Chen

The poor water retention capacity of sandy soils commonly aggregate soil erosion and ecological environment on the Chinese Loess Plateau. Due to its strong capacity for absorption and large specific surface area, the use of nanocarbon made of coconut shell as a soil amendment that could improve water retention was investigated. Soil column experiments were conducted in which a layer of nanocarbon mixed well with the soil was formed at a depth of 20 cm below the soil surface. Four different nanocarbon contents by weight (0%, 0.1%, 0.5%, and 1%) and five thicknesses of the nanocarbon- soil mixture layer ranging from 1 to 5 cm were considered. Cumulative infiltration and soil water content distributions were determined when water was added to soil columns. Soil Water Characteristic Curves (SWCC) were obtained using the centrifuge method. The principal results showed that the infiltration rate and cumulative infiltration increased with the increases of nanocarbon contents, to the thicknesses of the nano carbon-soil mixture layer. Soil water contents that below the soil-nano carbon layer decreased sharply. Both the Brooks-Corey and van Genuchten models could describe well the SWCC of the disturbed sandy soil with various nano carbon contents. Both the saturated water content (θs), residual water content (θr) and empirical parameter (α) increased with increasing nano carbon content, while the pore-size distribution parameter (n) decreased. The available soil water contents were efficiently increased with the increase in nanocarbon contents.


2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 351-358
Author(s):  
Miroslav Fér ◽  
Radka Kodešová ◽  
Barbora Kalkušová ◽  
Aleš Klement ◽  
Antonín Nikodem

AbstractThe aim of the study was to describe the impact of the soil water content and sulfamethoxazole, SUL, (antibiotic) concentration in soil on the net CO2 efflux. Soil samples were taken from topsoils of a Haplic Fluvisol and Haplic Chernozem. Soil samples were packed into the steel cylinders. The net CO2 efflux was measured from these soil columns after application of fresh water or SUL solution at different soil water contents. The experiments were carried out in dark at 20°C. The trends in the net CO2 efflux varied for different treatments. While initially high values for water treatment exponentially decreased in time, values for solution treatment increased during the first 250–650 minutes and then decreased. The total net CO2 effluxes measured for 20 hours related to the soil water content followed the second order polynomial functions. The maximal values were measured for the soil water content of 0.15 cm3 cm−3 (Haplic Fluvisol with water or solution, Haplic Chernozem with solution) and 0.11 cm3 cm−3 (Haplic Chernozem with water). The ratios between values measured for solution and water at the same soil water contents exponentially increased with increasing SUL concentration in soils. This proved the increasing stimulative influence of SUL on soil microbial activity.


2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 267-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana Ceccato ◽  
Daniel Bertero ◽  
Diego Batlla ◽  
Beatriz Galati

AbstractTwo possible sources of resistance to pre-harvest sprouting were evaluated in quinoa. They showed dormancy at harvest and significant variations in dormancy level in response to environmental conditions experienced during seed development. The aims of this work were to evaluate the importance of seed coats in the regulation of dormancy in this species, to investigate possible mechanisms of action and to assess association of seed coat properties with changes in dormancy level caused by the environment. Accessions Chadmo and 2-Want were grown under field conditions on different sowing dates during 2 years. Seed coats were manipulated and seed germination was evaluated at different temperatures. Seed coat perforation before incubation led to faster dormancy loss in both accessions. This effect decreased with delayed sowing date, and seeds expressed a level of dormancy not imposed by coats. This suggests the presence of embryo dormancy in the genus Chenopodium. Seeds of the accession 2-Want had a significantly thinner seed coat at later sowing dates, associated with a decreasing coat-imposed dormancy, but this pattern was not detected in Chadmo. The seed coat acts as a barrier to the release of endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) in quinoa, suggested by the increase in germination and a higher amount of ABA leached from perforated seeds. ABA is able to leach from seeds with an intact seed coat, suggesting that differences in seed coat thickness may allow the leakage of different amounts of ABA. This mechanism may contribute to the observed differences in dormancy level, either between sowing dates or between accessions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 113 (4) ◽  
pp. 1927-1932
Author(s):  
Cai-hua Shi ◽  
Jing-rong Hu ◽  
You-jun Zhang

Abstract The production of Chinese chives is reduced throughout China due to a root-feeding dipteran pest Bradysia odoriphaga Yang et Zhang (Diptera: Sciaridae), therefore deciphering the conditions influencing its growth and development are important in developing ecological control strategies. A study was conducted from 2014 to 2017 to determine the relationship between the abundance of B. odoriphaga and temperature (atmospheric and soil), soil water content, and atmospheric humidity in a Chinese chive field in Beijing City, China. Numbers of adults peaked in March and October to November and were lowest in July to August and December to next February; numbers of larvae were highest in December to next February and lowest in July to August. From 2014 to 2017, the numbers of adults and larvae were significantly correlated with monthly mean atmospheric temperatures and soil temperatures, but were not significantly correlated with monthly mean atmospheric relative humidity and soil water content. However, for both adults and larvae, numbers were significantly greater with high soil water contents compared with drought treatment. The results of this study suggest that the very low soil water contents, high atmospheric temperatures, and high soil temperatures were critical for regulating field populations of B. odoriphaga.


Soil Research ◽  
1964 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
CG Gurr

A method is given for calculating water contents of a column of soil from gamma ray data. The method is particularly useful for undisturbed field samples of unknown initial conditions. Values of water content and bulk density determined at the end of an experiment are used for calibration. To aid the calculation of large numbers of results, a nomogram has been constructed.


2001 ◽  
Vol 52 (10) ◽  
pp. 985 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. H. Miao ◽  
J. A. Fortune ◽  
J. Gallagher

Selection and breeding for yield and adaptation to environmental conditions often changes a number of characteristics of crops, and may influence the value of seed for animals. A series of experiments was conducted to evaluate the effect of breeding and growing conditions on the structure and degradability of lupin seed coats. Breeding has had significant influences on both seed size and seed coat structure of lupins. For instance, cultivars of Lupinus angustifolius released in 1987 and 1988 tended to have smaller seeds with a thicker seed coat than those released in 1971 (P < 0.05). Selection for soft seeds has resulted in a reduction of seed coat thickness in L. angustifolius. Hardseeded and roughseeded lines of L. cosentinii had thicker coats (P < 0.05) than softseeded and smoothseeded, respectively. The main contributor to the thick seed coat of hardseeded lines was a layer of cells known as the hourglass layer, which is located between the outer palisade and inner parenchyma. Anatomical analysis revealed that the soft seed coat tended to have short and round cells, whereas the hard seed tended to have long cells in the palisade layer. Smooth seeds had round cells in the subpalisade, but rough seeds had long cells in this layer. Although the seed coats of lupins contained about 80% crude fibre, with L. cosentinii and L. pilosus having more fibre than L. angustifolius, the fibre in lupin seed coats was highly digestible by sheep.


FLORESTA ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 27 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
WILSON DA SILVA ◽  
ANTÔNIO ALBERTO DA SILVA ◽  
TOCIO SEDIYAMA ◽  
LUÍS HENRIQUE LOPES DE FREITAS

Objetivou-se avaliar, em casa de vegetação, altura e diâmetro do caule de plantas de duas espécies de eucalipto, cultivadas em solo com três teores de água, junto a quatro populações de B. brizantha. Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental em blocos ao acaso, com quatro repetições, em arranjo fatorial (2x3x4): duas espécies (E. citriodora e E. grandis), três teores de água (20, 23 e 26%) e quatro populações de B. brizantha (0, 1, 2 e 3 plantas/vaso). Manteve-se teor constante de água nos vasos, até a última avaliação do experimento. Esse controle foi feito utilizando-se microtensiômetro e pesagens diárias, com reposição da água evapotranspirada. Os maiores valores de altura total e diâmetro do caule das plantas de E. citriodora e E. grandis foram observados em solos com maior teor de água no solo (26%), em ausência B. brizantha. A presença B. brizantha reduziu a altura total e o diâmetro do caule dos eucaliptos para os três teores de água no solo. Todavia, a maior redução percentual, tanto da altura quanto do diâmetro, ocorreu quando as plantas dos eucaliptos foram submetidas a 26% de água no solo. E. citriodora foi mais sensível à convivência com B. brizantha que E. grandis. Eucalyptus citriodora and E. grandis height and diameter growing in different water and association levels with Brachiaria brizantha Abstract Height and diameter of two species of eucalypts, cultivated in substract with three water contents, jointly with four B. brizantha populations, in greenhouse conditions, were evaluated. Treatments were arranged in a factorial design, with four replications (2x3x4): two species of eucalypts (E. citriodora and E. grandis), three soil water contents (20, 23 and 26% ) and four B. brizantha populations (0, 1, 2, and 3 plants/vase). Water content was maintained constant until experiment last evaluation. This control was done using daily weightings and tensiometer, with evapotranspired water reposition. The total height and diameter and values of E. citriodora and E. grandis plants stems were observed in the soils with the highest water content (26%) in B. brizantha absence. B. brizantha presence reduced total higher and diameter of eucalypts stems for the three water contents in the soil. However, the heighest percentual reduction, both in height and diameter, occurred when eucalypts plants were subjected to 26% water in the soil. E. citriodora was more sensible to association with B. brizantha than E. grandis.


1971 ◽  
Vol 11 (49) ◽  
pp. 236 ◽  
Author(s):  
JE Schultz

Soil water changes under fallow (initial cultivation in spring), grassland (initial cultivation in autumn) and the succeeding wheat crops were recorded at two to three weekly intervals in three consecutive seasons in three soil types representing the range of wheat-growing soils in South Australia. Differences in water content between the two treatments developed soon after the start of fallowing due to the greater loss of water from grassland in spring. Rainfall during the fallow period contributed little to soil water storage except in one year when heavy spring rains were recorded. In some instances the water content in the fallowed soils at seeding was less than at the start of fallowing, but the fallowed soils consistently retained more water than the grassland soils. Soil water contents decreased after August of the crop year (end of tillering) and by harvest the wheat crops had commonly dried the soil to a depth of 150 cm. Fallow crops used more water and produced significantly higher wheat yields with a greater efficiency of water use in all trials.


2013 ◽  
Vol 316-317 ◽  
pp. 464-468
Author(s):  
Yao Lei Wang ◽  
Ping Ting Guan ◽  
Si Wei Jiang ◽  
Xiao Ke Zhang

Applying a combination of classical and geostatistical analysis, we investigated the distribution properties of soil water contents in broad-leaved Korean Pine forest (A) and secondary Polar-Birch forest (B) in Changbai Mountain, Northeast China. The results showed soil water content was significantly different between plots A and B (P < 0.05). The variation coefficient (CV) for soil water content was lower in plot A than in plot B at 0-10 cm depth, while the CV was higher in plot A than in plot B at 10-20 cm depth. Geostatistical analysis revealed that the exponential models were the optimality models for the soil water content in both plots. The spatial structured variance accounted for the largest proportion of total variance in soil water content in both plots. The autocorrelation range value for the semivariogram of soil water content was 8.9 m at 0-10 cm depth and 12.6 m at 10-20 cm depth in plot A, which was more than those in plot B (8.0 m) at both depths. Maps obtained by kriging showed that soil water contents in both plots exhibited different spatial distribution patterns. It could be conclude that the differences of rain time, precipitation form, topography and forest type may contributed to the distribution of soil water content in Changbai Mountain.


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