Iranian Journal of Seed Research

Germination is the first and the most stages for sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) growth; which it has especially sensitivity to environmental stresses such as alkalinity. The current study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of seed pre-treatment methods on improving sainfoin tolerance to alkali stress in germination, early growth and its recovery as a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design in College of Agriculture, Shiraz University in 2013. The first factor was four seed pre-treatment methods (seed with the pod, seed without the pod, pre-chilling of seed without pod and hydro-priming of seed without pod) and the second factor was five alkali stress levels (pH= 6.7, 7.9, 8.9, 9.8 and 10.7). Alkali stress levels were prepared using two neutral salts (Na₂SO₄ and NaCl) and two alkaline salts (NaHCO₃ and Na₂CO₃). The results showed that germination percentage was decreased as alkalinity (pH) levels were enhanced; so that, there were no germinated seeds in 9.8 and 10.7 treatments. Alkali stress reduced initial germination percentage (51.9%), final germination percentage (51.8%), plumule length (55.7%) and radicle length (72.2%). Under all alkalinity conditions, the lowest seed germination and seedling growth were observed in with pod seed, followed by pre-chilling treatments; while their highest were achieved in without pod seeds and hydro-priming treatments. The highest recovery was observed in without the pod, followed by hydro-primed seeds. Recovery was observed in Pre-chilled and with pod speeds up to 7.9 and in hydro-primed and without pod speeds up to 8.9.

A controlled experiment was run to quantify emergence of Kochia indica under different temperature, salinity and seeding depth levels at Yazd National Salinity Research Center in 2013. Treatments were five day/night temperature regimes: 20/10, 25/15, 30/20, 35/25 and 40/30 °C, five salinity levels: 2, 6, 10, 14 and 18 dS m^-1, and seeding depth on the surface (0 mm), 5, 10 and 15 mm. Final emergence percentage, emergence rate index and elapsed time (days) to reach 50% of the maximum emergence were measured. The results showed that the highest and lowest final emergence percentages were observed at 25/15°C and 40/30°C day/night, respectively. Final emergence percentages at salinity levels of 6, 10, 14 and 18 dS m^-1were, respectively, 9, 22, 36 and 57% lower than 2 dS m^-1. Final emergence percentages for 5, 10 and 15 mm seeding depths were, respectively, 30, 44 and 72% lower, as compared with the placement of seeds on the soil surface. Regression analysis showed that final emergence percentage linearly decreased with increase in salinity and seeding depth levels. However, elapsed time (days) to reach 50% of the maximum emergence (T₅₀), increased as salinity and seeding depth increased, so that the highest T₅₀ was obtained for 18 dS m^-1 and seeding depth of 15 mm. Increase in salinity and seeding depth was associated with a significant decrease in emergence rate index. In addition, using a logistic regression equation, emergence rate of K. indica was quantified on each day after sowing for each temperature-salinity combination to predict the distribution range of the plant in these situations.
 

1.  Due to higher storage capacity, the use of large seeds brings about increases in the seedling germination rate and their establishment in the field
2. The use of large seeds with more seed vigor decreases competition between seedlings and reduces vapor from the field.

1. The reaction of the cotton cultivars studied was different to levels of salinity stress.
2. An increase in salt stress caused a significant reduction in the germination characteristics of cultivars of cotton studied.
3. Bi-plot analysis and clustering based on STI and SSI indices turned out to be a suitable method for clustering cotton cultivars.

Extended Abstract

Introduction: Fenugreek, is a medicinal plant that has been considered as a salt tolerant crop. This research was conducted to investigate the effects of salt stress on seedling emergence characteristics and determination of the salt tolerance threshold, declivity of emergence and salt tolerance index of some fenugreek ecotypes.

Material and Methods: Seeds of five ecotypes (Ardestani, Isfahani, hendi, Mashhadi, Neyrizi) were subjected to seven levels of salinity (0.5, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 dS/m) in a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with three replications. In this research, experimental models (linear, sigmoidal, exponential and multi-component) were used.

Results: Results showed that increasing levels of salinity decreased seedling emergence percentage and rate. In Ardestani and Isfahani ecotypes, increase of salinity up to 3 dS/m had no effect on seedling emergence percentage and thereafter, decreased it, significantly. The maximum seedling emergence percentage (94.62%) belonged to Hendi in control treatment. Hendi ecotype had also the highest emergence percentage (25.81%) at 18 dS/m. Although the highest seedling emergence rate (5.93 per day) belonged to Mashhadi ecotype in control treatment, it didn’t show any significant difference to Hendi, Neyrizi and Isfahani ecotypes. In Ardestani, Mashhadi and Neyrizi ecotypes, seedling length decreased significantly with increasing salinity, but this decrease was not significant in Isfahani ecotype between salinities of 3 and 6 dS/m and also 12 and 15 dS/m. In Hendi ecotype, seedling length at 3 dS/m was similar to control, but higher salinities caused a significant reduction. The maximum value of seedling vigor index (20.44) belonged to Mashhadi and Neyrizi ecotypes in control treatment and Ardestani ecotype had the lowest one (0.39) at 18 dS/m. Results showed that seedling dry weight was first unchanged up to salinity level of 3 dS/m and then gradually decreased with increasing salinity. In Hendi and Neyrizi ecotypes, applying salinities higher than 6 dS/m, gradually decreased seedling dry weight. The salt tolerance threshold of fenugreek for Ardestani, Isfahani, Hindi, Mashhadi and Neyrizi ecotypes was 4.69, 4.90, 7.83, 1.69 and 1.57 dS/m, respectively. Thus, the highest salt tolerance threshold (7.83 dS/m) and the declivity of emergence percentage (7.55%) was obtained from Hendi ecotype and the lowest one from Neyrizi ecotype (1.57 and 4.63 dS/m, respectively). Results of nonlinear models showed that the highest salinity in which  50 percent of seedlings emerged was obtained in Hendi ecotype (14.24 dS/m).

Conclusion: Based on the results, comparing the salt tolerance index of fenugreek ecotypes and also evaluating of some experimental models showed that Hendi ecotype may be introduced as the most tolerant ecotype to salinity stress at the emergence stage to exploit saline soil and water resources.

Highlights:

1. Different fenugreek ecotypes in terms of salinity tolerance at seedling emergence stage were compared using some experimental models.
2. The salt tolerance threshold, declivity of emergence and also salt tolerance index was reported for some fenugreek ecotypes.