Growth and Survival of Wheat Seedlings After Dehydration and Rehydration (1998)

Abstract

The planting depth of wheat often is increased to place the seeds in damp soil when low surface moisture restricts germination and seedling development. However, planting seed deeply in dry soil often results in low emergence, slow seedling development, and thin stands. Even if moisture is adequate for germination of seeds, continued lack of precipitation might dehydrate seedlings and stop their growth until additional rain occurs to rehydrate them. The ability of seedlings to tolerate dehydration/rehydration is important for establishing stands of wheat. In addition, planting deeply and delaying emergence depletes carbohydrate reserves in the endosperm that are needed by the seedlings. This study was designed to determine the ability of wheat seedlings, especially the coleoptile and root, to withstand desiccation and the effect of the stress at different developmental stages on seedling emergence. A full account of the study was published in Agronomy Journal 89:822-826 (1997).