Seed Hydropriming and Smoke Water Significantly Improve Low-Temperature Germination of Lupinus angustifolius L.

Agnieszka Płażek,Michał Dziurka,Bogdan Wolko,Przemysław Kopeć,Franciszek Dubert,Agnieszka Kalandyk,Jakub Pastuszak

doi:10.3390/ijms19040992

Abstract

Seed imbibition under cold temperature is dangerous when dry seeds have relatively low water content. The aim of this study was to investigate germination of 20 lines/cultivars of narrow-leaf lupine at 7 °C (cold) and 13 °C (control) under the influence of smoke water and following seed hydropriming for 3 h at 20 °C. The efficacy of individual treatments was examined with regard to seed protection during low-temperature germination. Based on seed germination, vigour at cold was evaluated four days after sowing by means of hypocotyl length, the studied lines/cultivars were divided into three groups with low, high and very high germination rates. Germination vigour correlated with cell membrane permeability, dehydrogenase activity and abscisic acid (ABA) content and was analysed in the seeds one day after sowing. Gibberellin content did not correlate with germination vigour. The seeds of weakly germinating lines/cultivars had the highest cell permeability and ABA content as well as the lowest amylolytic activity at both studied temperatures. Additionally, the vigour of weakly germinating seeds at 7 °C correlated with dehydrogenase activity. Three-hour hydropriming was the most effective for seed germination under cold due to reduced cell membrane permeability and ABA level. Stimulating effects of smoke water on germination under cold could be explained by enhanced dehydrogenase activity.

Highlights

Over the last few years, several national programs founded by the Polish Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (e.g., “Polish protein” project) or the National Centre of Research Development (e.g., “Segenmas”) have been implemented in Poland to reactivate cultivation of leguminous plants as valuable sources of protein
We determined the levels of both forms of abscisic acid (ABA) and GAs, and the results indicated that only active forms of ABA determined the germination ability of non-dormant seeds of narrow-leaf lupine
Our analysis showed that the seeds of narrow-leaf lupine contained the largest amounts of GA8 as compared with individual free gibberellins

Summary

Introduction

Over the last few years, several national programs founded by the Polish Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (e.g., “Polish protein” project) or the National Centre of Research Development (e.g., “Segenmas”) have been implemented in Poland to reactivate cultivation of leguminous plants as valuable sources of protein. The main focus of these programs has been the cultivation of lupines, i.a. Lupinus angustifolius (narrow-leaf lupine), that are popular due to their reliable maturation as summer-grown crops, reasonable disease resistance, good yields and easy adaptation to various environmental conditions. One of the most important environmental determinants of plant growth is temperature, especially during seed germination. Seed imbibition, which occurs rapidly, is a key stage of the germination process. Water is absorbed by hydrophilic cell-wall components, cytoplasm and storage compounds, especially proteins and carbohydrates. Imbibition in cold water is slow and dangerous to cell membranes non-adapted to such thermal conditions: they cannot withstand water pressure and may rupture. Water influx into cells of desiccated seeds temporary perturbs the membranes, which may lead to changes in their selectivity. A result of this process is an immediate, rapid leakage of ions and solutions of low molecular weight metabolites from the cells [2]

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