Effect of storage conditions on seed germination, seedling growth and genetic stability in Chinese leymus (Leymus chinensis)

Abstract

Summary Chinese leymus (Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvel.) is an important perennial grass widely distributed in Eastern Asia and can be one of the best pasture grass species for the rangeland industry in northern China. However, there is no information on the effect of storage conditions on seed germination and seedling growth, which are critical for grassland establishment. Seeds of Chinese leymus from 4 distinct biotypes were stored in sealed plastic bags at room (5-28°C) or cold (4°C) conditions. Seed germination and seedling growth were measured at 1-year-storage interval for 8 years. The results showed that the seeds of various biotypes had similar response to storage, although they displayed significantly different maximum of germination and seedling length. High temperature was helpful to break the dormancy, while low temperature facilitated to maintain high germination. At both storage environments, seedling length decreased more dramatically than seed germination. Seedling growth proved to be a good indicator for seed quality following long period of storage, in addition to seed germinability. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis showed that genetic diversity existed among the 4 biotypes, but no fragment profiles variation was detected after storage.