Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the growth, assimilate partitioning and seed vigor expression of rye seeds subjected to waterlogging during development. The experimental design was completely randomized with six replications and three treatments. The treatments involved different waterlogging periods: a) no waterlogging; b) single waterlogging of three days; and c) two soil waterlogging periods of three days. The plants were collected at regular intervals of 14 days after emergence until the end of the growth cycle, measuring the dry matter accumulation and the leaf area for growth analysis and dry matter partition between the organs and number of flowers. The other calculated indices included the harvest index and relative seedling emergence rate originating from the seeds of plants that were maintained at field capacity and under the effect of soil waterlogging. Rye plants that were not subjected to waterlogging had a higher dry matter, dry matter production rates and harvest index compared to the plants under the effect of two soil waterlogging periods. Plants under the effect of two waterlogging periods showed drastic alterations in their growth rates and assimilate partitioning during development, and seed vigor expression was negatively affected when the plants were subjected to soil waterlogging.
Highlights
Rye (Secale cereale) is considered a double-purpose crop, being used as animal feed and as a cover crop, and presents rapid initial growth and winter hardiness as well high tolerance to soil acidity (Roso et al 2000)
The substrate soil was obtained from the A1 horizon of a Solodic haplic eutrophic Planosol belonging to the mapping unit of Pelotas (Streck et al 2008), which was previously corrected for pH and nutrient concentration according to the previous soil analysis and based on the recommendations of the Fertilization Handbook (Santos et al 2008)
The treatments consisted of different waterlogging periods: a) T1 = absence of waterlogging – the soil was maintained at field capacity; b) T2 = the soil was subjected to waterlogging during the vegetative phase 51 days after sowing for three days; c) T3 = the soil was subjected to two periods of waterlogging, the first during the active tillering phase 51 days after sowing and the second 81 days after sowing during the booting phase of three days
Summary
Rye (Secale cereale) is considered a double-purpose crop, being used as animal feed and as a cover crop, and presents rapid initial growth and winter hardiness as well high tolerance to soil acidity (Roso et al 2000). In the state of Rio Grande do Sul, the approximate extension of lowland soils is 5.4 million hectares (Gazolla Neto et al 2012), an area managed with relatively low intensity, with the predominance of irrigated rice cultivation and extensive livestock production (Marchezan et al 2002). The cropping of species that are adapted to temporary waterlogging is an economical alternative to these areas, generating the need for studies of species that could benefit from the infrastructure of rice cultivation (Gazolla Neto et al 2012). Rye can constitute an alternative to the cultivation these areas, and the evaluation of the physiological traits regulating the growth and assimilate partitioning throughout plant development is an important tool for plant ecophysiology studies (Pedó et al 2013a)
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