Abstract
Abstract: Analyses of germination of seeds under artificial stress conditions are tools for a better understanding of the survival and adaptation capacity of species under natural stress conditions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of priming on seed germination, on breaking of dormancy, and on the length of Urochloa brizantha seedlings under water restriction and salt stress conditions. A completely randomized experimental design was used with four replications in a 3 × 6 factorial arrangement consisting of 3 germination conditions (water, water restriction with PEG, and salinity with NaCl) and 6 treatments [five priming solutions (distilled water, potassium nitrate, spermidine, gibberellin, and sodium nitroprusside) and a control (unprimed seeds)]. The following determinations were made: seed moisture content after priming (before drying) and after drying the seeds, germination test at seven and twenty-one days after sowing, germination speed index, viability by the tetrazolium test of the seeds remaining from the germination test, and seedling length. Priming is effective in minimizing the negative effects of water restriction and salinity. Use of sodium nitroprusside as a priming solution results in a lower percentage of dormant seeds and greater germination, vigor, and plant development.
Highlights
The production of forage seeds, especially those of the Urochloa genus, serves a growing market and has expanded to various regions of Brazil and of the world (ABRASEM, 2018)
Salinity from NaCl does not act only by restricting water absorption and causing water stress, and causes toxicity, due to the Na+ and Cl- ions. This brings about ionic imbalance in the cell cytoplasm, which may lead to formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that cause lipid peroxidation of the membrane, DNA damage, protein denaturation, carbohydrate oxidation, and reduction in enzymatic activity (Li et al, 2018; Liu et al, 2019)
The primed seeds took up a greater amount of water when primed with sodium nitroprusside (SNP), followed by those that were primed with potassium nitrate (KNO3) and spermidine (SPER) (Figure 1)
Summary
The production of forage seeds, especially those of the Urochloa genus, serves a growing market and has expanded to various regions of Brazil and of the world (ABRASEM, 2018). Salinity and water deficit are among the main stress situations that affect germination and seedling emergence in the field, especially in arid and semi-arid regions (Gupta et al, 2014; Saberali and Moradi, 2019). Salinity from NaCl does not act only by restricting water absorption and causing water stress, and causes toxicity, due to the Na+ and Cl- ions. This brings about ionic imbalance in the cell cytoplasm, which may lead to formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that cause lipid peroxidation of the membrane, DNA damage, protein denaturation, carbohydrate oxidation, and reduction in enzymatic activity (Li et al, 2018; Liu et al, 2019)
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