Seed Germination Responses of Dimorphic Seeds in Atriplex sagittata under Light, Salinity and Storage Conditions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71336/jabs.1572Keywords:
Atriplex sagittata, bet-hedging, germination, salinity, seed dimorphismAbstract
Atriplex sagittata Borkh. is an annual herbaceous plant belonging to the family Amaranthaceae with a wide geographical distribution. Like other Atriplex species, A. Sagittata produces dimorphic seeds, brown and black, that differ in size and morphology. To assess the germination responses of these dimorphic seeds under different environmental conditions, the effects of light, salinity and storage conditions were investigated. Following collection, the seeds were stored for two years under two different conditions: +4 °C and +24 °C. After, the seeds were exposed to different salinity levels. To test the effect of light on germination, parallel dark treatments were included as controls. Germination assays revealed that storage conditions had no statistically significant effect, while light increased the germination rate of black seeds. In response to increasing salinity concentrations (50, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 mM), the inhibitory effect of salt was first observed at 400 mM for brown seeds and at 50 mM for black seeds. Overall, brown seeds exhibited much higher germination rates and greater salt tolerance compared to black seeds. Mechanical scarification of black seeds demonstrated that their dormancy is mechanically imposed.
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