Seed Germination Performance Research Articles

Enhancement of Corn Seed Germination in Calcareous Soil: Combined Effect of Biochar and Calcium Carbonate

Calcareous soil is reported to reduce seed germination performance due to its soil properties, like low moisture content, weak soil structure, and nutrient leaching. Biochar could enhance soil properties by modifying the physiochemical properties of the soil, which aids in accelerating seed germination and plant growth. Due to biochar's alkaline properties, it is rarely recommended for use on calcareous soil, which is naturally alkaline. Nevertheless, the water-holding capacity of biochar still has the potential to improve seed germination and thus could be suitable for working as a soil nourisher in calcareous soil. Till now, the effect of biochar on calcareous soil is lacking information. Thus, the current study aimed to evaluate the combined effects of biochar and calcareous soil on corn seed germination performance. Calcium carbonate of different rates (0, 10, 25% w/w) was mixed in a mixed soil with an initial pH of 6.8 to form the calcareous soil. Then biochar of different rates (0, 5, 10% w/w) was applied to the calcareous soil. After a week, the corn seed was sown, and seed germination performance was evaluated. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design (CRD). This study showed that the combination of calcareous soil at 0% and biochar at 10% gave the best seed germination, which supports the idea that biochar nourishes typical soil, as reported in many studies. However, this study also showed the potential of biochar in appropriate amounts to amend alkaline soil. The calcareous soil with the highest calcium carbonate rate (25%) has been shown to reduce seed germination significantly. However, the combined effects of calcium carbonate at 25% and biochar at 5% have significantly increased seed germination. However, the combined effect of calcareous soil at 25% and biochar at 10% portrayed the weakest seed germination. This suggests that 5% of BC is the appropriate amount to amend calcareous soil.

Effect of halopriming on seed germination performance and early seedling establishment in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) under saline conditions

Effect of halopriming on seed germination performance and early seedling establishment in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) under saline conditions

Biodegradable PVA-based films for delivery of Bacillus megaterium as seed coating

The synthetic polymer Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is known for its water solubility, non-toxicity, biodegradability, and high biocompatibility with cells. These characteristics make it a promising vehicle for beneficial microorganisms in sustainable agricultural practices. Here, we developed biodegradable films made of PVA crosslinked with citric acid (in concentrations ranging from 0 % to 30 %) to deliver Bacillus megaterium as seed coating. Physical-chemical and morphological analyses showed promising compatibility between PVA and citric acid, with the latter improving the thermal behavior of the films. The addition of 30 % citric acid significantly reduced the swelling and solubility of the films, thereby increasing their resistance to degradation, a crucial quality for seed coating. The film matrix allowed the controlled release of B. megaterium, keeping the cell viability during six months of storage and under external stresses. After exposure to heat and insecticide, the PVA film with citric acid kept cell viability in the same order as the initial concentration, which was not observed in free bacteria that decreased 2–4 orders of magnitude in cell viability. The film with encapsulated B. megaterium also promoted soybean seed germination rates comparable to treatment with commercial polymer and superior to untreated seeds, demonstrating its viability for agricultural applications. The PVA film crosslinked with citric acid showed promising potential for encapsulating Bacillus megaterium and seed coating, benefiting microorganism protection and seed germination performance.

Germination of chief fire seeds cockscomb cultivar under saline stress conditions induced by sodium chloride

Cockscomb plant, Chief fire cultivar, is used as an ornamental, medicinal and non-conventional food plant (NCFP) and is cultivated from the north to the center-west of Brazil; however, these areas suffer from adverse environmental factors such as salinity stress. The objective of this study was to evaluate the seed germination performance and vigor of Celosia cristata L. var. Chief Fire seedlings exposed to salinity during the germination phase. To carry out the work, C. cristata seeds were sown in gerboxes conditioned to increasing doses of sodium chloride (NaCl), obtained by dissolving the salt in distilled water, obtaining electrical conductivities of 2.0; 4.0; 6.0 and 8.0 dS.m-1, constituting the treatments. An additional group was treated only with distilled water and was used as a control for the experiment. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design, with a total of five treatments and four replicates of 25 seeds. The parameters assessed were: first germination count, germination, germination speed index (GVI), mean germination time (MGT), length of aerial part and primary root. The data was submitted to analysis of variance and the means were compared using the Scott-Knott test at 5% significance. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that the conditions of salt stress induced by NaCl were not harmful to the germination of C. cristata, presenting itself as a species tolerant to water salinity during seed germination, since the variables analyzed showed no signs of deleterious effects as the salt concentration was increased.

Influence of seed pre-treatment and storage on germination and physiological characteristics of seeds of common mullein (Verbascum thapsus L.)

We report the seed germination and associated metabolic responses of differentially stored seeds of Verbascum thapsus L. (Scrophulariaceae), an economically and medicinally important herb from the cold desert region of Lahaul (Himachal Pradesh, India) in trans Himalaya, to certain physico-chemical and GA₃ treatments. The freshly harvested seeds of V. thapsus exhibited high (96 %) viability but low germination (55 %). During the storage of seeds under ambient conditions, viability did not change until 1-year but declined progressively thereafter showing a 33 % decline in 4-year stored seeds. The seed germination was promoted to varying extents by acid scarification (AS), SNP (sodium nitroprusside), SHC (sodium hypochlorite) and GA₃ pre-treatments. Storage-dependent changes in seed germination performance and responsiveness to different effectors were evident. Germination performance improved significantly due to 1-year storage followed by a sharp decline subsequently. The responsiveness of seeds to various treatments tended to be higher in seeds stored for ≥2 years. The changes in germination were paralleled by those in α-amylase activity in seeds. Lipid peroxidation generally increased during storage that was paralleled by a gradual decline in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and phenolic contents. Catalase (CAT) activity increased transiently in 1-year stored seeds and declined thereafter. Data are expected to have implications for multiplication and cultivation of V. thapsus.

Seed pre-treatment with electromagnetic field (EMF) differentially enhances germination kinetics and seedling growth of maize (Zea mays L.)

Pre-sowing treatment of seeds with different intensities and exposure times to electromagnetic fields (EMF) has proved to be beneficial in increasing the productivity of crops. The purpose of the recent study was to evaluate the effects of electromagnetic fields applied prior to cultivation to seeds of two maize genotypes namely FH-1046 and YH-5427. Sterilized seeds were exposed to three doses of EMF and sown in six treatments levels i.e. T0 (as control), T1 (60mT for 3 min.), T2 (120mT for 3 min.), T3 (180mT for 3 min.), T4 (60mT for 6 min.), T5 (120mT for 6 min.), and T6 (180mT for 6 min.). There were three replicates in each treatment. Results showed EMF exposure as an augmenting factor as it caused up to 50 % improvement in seed germination performance. The EMF exposure increased germination kinetics and triggered enhancement in morphological characteristics i.e., higher leaf area, plant height, more fresh and dry weight; higher concentration of physiological pigments like chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids; upregulated antioxidative enzymatic activities; and, higher mineral ions concentration such as Na+, K+, and Ca2+. A growth promotory effect of all doses of electromagnetic field was observed on crop performance, however, T3 (180mT for 3 min.) and T5 (120mT for 6 min.) resulted in the highest germination indices, vegetative proliferations and biochemical assays. Of the two genotypes of maize, FH-1046 proved to be more sensitive the EMF as compared to YH-5427. It was concluded that maize growth and grain yield might be directly enhanced through the useful aspects of EMF by its analytical and sustainable utilization at the large scale of agricultural farming.

Potassium transporter OsHAK9 regulates seed germination under salt stress by preventing gibberellin degradation through mediating OsGA2ox7 in rice.

Soil salinity has a major impact on rice seed germination, severely limiting rice production. Herein, a rice germination defective mutant under salt stress (gdss) was identified by using chemical mutagenesis. The GDSS gene was detected via MutMap and shown to encode potassium transporter OsHAK9. Phenotypic analysis of complementation and mutant lines demonstrated that OsHAK9 was an essential regulator responsible for seed germination under salt stress. OsHAK9 is highly expressed in germinating seed embryos. Ion contents and non-invasive micro-test technology results showed that OsHAK9 restricted K+ efflux in salt-exposed germinating seeds for the balance of K+/Na+. Disruption of OsHAK9 significantly reduced gibberellin 4 (GA4) levels, and the germination defective phenotype of oshak9a was partly rescued by exogenous GA3 treatment under salt stress. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis demonstrated that the disruption of OsHAK9 improved the GA-deactivated gene OsGA2ox7 expression in germinating seeds under salt stress, and the expression of OsGA2ox7 was significantly inhibited by salt stress. Null mutants of OsGA2ox7 created using clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated nuclease 9 approach displayed a dramatically increased seed germination ability under salt stress. Overall, our results highlight that OsHAK9 regulates seed germination performance under salt stress involving preventing GA degradation by mediating OsGA2ox7, which provides a novel clue about the relationship between GA and OsHAKs in rice.

Rice ins(3)P synthase1 (RINO1) participates in embryonic development by regulating inositol-associated changes in auxin synthesis and its distribution.

The breeding of low phytic acid (LPA) crops is widely considered an effective strategy to improve crop nutrition, but the LPA crops usually have inferior seed germination performance. To clarify the reason for the suboptimal seed performance of LPA rice, this study investigated the impact of reduced seed phytic acid (InsP6) content in rice ins(3)P synthase1 (EC 5.5.1.4, RINO1), one of the key targets for engineering LPA rice, knockouton cellular differentiation in seed embryos and its relation to myo-inositol metabolism and auxin signalling during embryogenesis. The results indicated that the homozygotes of RINO1 knockout could initiate differentiation at the early stage of embryogenesis but failed to form normal differentiation of plumule and radicle primordia. The loss of RINO1 function disrupted vesicle trafficking and auxin signalling due to the significantly lowered phosphatidylinositides (PIs) concentration in seed embryos, thereby leading to the defects of seed embryos without the recognizable differentiation of shoot apex meristem (SAM) and radicle apex meristem (RAM) for the homozygotes of RINO1 knockout. The abnormal embryo phenotype of RINO1 homozygotes was partially rescued by exogenous spraying of inositol and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in rice panicle. Thus, RINO1 is crucial for both seed InsP6 biosynthesis and embryonic development. The lower phosphatidylinositol (4,5)-bisphosphate (PI (4,5) P2) concentration and the disorder auxin distribution induced by insufficient inositol supply in seed embryos were among the regulatory switch steps leading to aberrant embryogenesis and failure of seed germination in RINO1 knockout.

Effect of Priming on Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis (Bok Choy) Seeds Germination

Brassica rapa subsp. Chinensis, commonly known as Bok Choy, is a nutrient-rich vegetable with substantial antioxidant content. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of hydropriming and bio-nutri-priming using Sandwich compost leachate on seed germination, SPAD reading, and dry matter accumulation in 280 dwarf variants of Bok Choy seeds sourced from Green Eagle. The experimental process involved hydropriming with tap water, bio-nutri-priming using 0.2% Sandwich compost leachate, and a control group cultivated in soil without priming. A complete randomization design (CRD) with three replications assessed seed germination performance, SPAD, root and shoot dry matter, and root-to-shoot ratio. While there was no significant difference in the germination percentage (88.35±1.13%), the entire priming seeds exhibited a 2-day peak germination period, compared to 3 days for the non-priming counterparts. Bio-nutri-priming seeds showed faster median and mean germination times due to enhanced nutrient uptake. They further displayed high SPAD readings, suggesting a lack of toxic compounds. The dry matter production of all treated Bok Choy was similar because administered treatments did not interfere with plant growth and development. Therefore, applying bio-nutri-priming using Sandwich compost leachate positively affected seed germination performance, warranting its recommendation as a seeds priming solution.

ZmEREB92 plays a negative role in seed germination by regulating ethylene signaling and starch mobilization in maize.

Rapid and uniform seed germination is required for modern cropping system. Thus, it is important to optimize germination performance through breeding strategies in maize, in which identification for key regulators is needed. Here, we characterized an AP2/ERF transcription factor, ZmEREB92, as a negative regulator of seed germination in maize. Enhanced germination in ereb92 mutants is contributed by elevated ethylene signaling and starch degradation. Consistently, an ethylene signaling gene ZmEIL7 and an α-amylase gene ZmAMYa2 are identified as direct targets repressed by ZmEREB92. OsERF74, the rice ortholog of ZmEREB92, shows conserved function in negatively regulating seed germination in rice. Importantly, this orthologous gene pair is likely experienced convergently selection during maize and rice domestication. Besides, mutation of ZmEREB92 and OsERF74 both lead to enhanced germination under cold condition, suggesting their regulation on seed germination might be coupled with temperature sensitivity. Collectively, our findings uncovered the ZmEREB92-mediated regulatory mechanism of seed germination in maize and provide breeding targets for maize and rice to optimize seed germination performance towards changing climates.

Assessment of Germination Response to Salinity Stress in Castor through the Hydrotime Model

Germination of castor seeds from five dwarf hybrid genotypes, compared to a ‘Local’ genotype selected by the University of Catania from a Tunisian population well adapted to the Mediterranean environment, was studied at five different salt levels (0, −0.3, −0.6, −0.9, and −1.2 MPa) in order to assess seed germination performance under stress conditions. The results confirmed that optimum moisture (0 MPa) ensured 100% of germination; on the contrary, salt concentration negatively influenced the final germination percentage (FGP) and radicle elongation, causing severe consequences for plant establishment. At a level of −1.2 MPa, no germination occurred, while a level of −0.3 MPa slightly affected the seed germination of the dwarf genotypes, which achieved 77.3% of germination, contrary to the ‘Local’ genotype, in which germination was kept stable. Higher levels of salt (−0.6 and −0.9 MPa) caused a linear decrease in FGP and radicle elongation. Overall, the dwarf hybrid ‘C1019’ performed better at higher salt impositions, as did ‘C857’, confirming these genotypes were the most tolerant among the dwarf hybrids. Conversely, ‘C1013’ turned out to be the most susceptible genotype, followed by ‘C1008’. On the other hand, the ‘Local’ castor genotype was the best-performing genotype at −0.3 MPa and the most tolerant genotype in terms of salt concentration and germination time, which were accurately predicted by the hydrotime model, validating it as a valid method of assessing the germination response of castor seeds to Ψ.

Effect of Reactive Oxygen Scavenger N,N'-Dimethylthiourea (DMTU) on Seed Germination and Radicle Elongation of Maize.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are an important part of adaptation to biotic and abiotic stresses and regulate seed germination through positive or negative signaling. Seed adaptation to abiotic stress may be mediated by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The effects of the ROS scavenger N,N'-dimethylthiourea (DMTU) on maize seed germination through endogenous H2O2 regulation is unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of different doses of DMTU on seed endogenous H2O2 and radicle development parameters using two maize varieties (ZD958 and DMY1). The inhibitory effect of DMTU on the germination rate and radicle growth was dose-dependent. The inhibitory effect of DMTU on radicle growth ceased after transferring maize seeds from DMTU to a water medium. Histochemical analyses showed that DMTU eliminated stable H2O2 accumulation in the radicle sheaths and radicles. The activity of antioxidant enzyme and the expression of antioxidant enzyme-related genes (ZmAPX2 and ZmCAT2) were reduced in maize seeds cultured with DMTU compared with normal culture conditions (0 mmol·dm-3 DMTU). We suggest the use of 200 mmol·dm-3 DMTU as an H2O2 scavenger to study the ROS equilibrium mechanisms during the germination of maize seeds, assisting in the future with the efficient development of plant growth regulators to enhance the seed germination performance of test maize varieties under abiotic stress.

The sensitivity of radish cultivars to high temperatures during germination and seedling growth stages

A laboratory experiment was conducted at constant temperatures of 20, 23, 26, 29, 32, 35, 38, and 41℃ to identify the response of six radish cultivars with different root sizes and colors to high-temperature stress during germination, emergence, and early seedling growth stage. Also, the optimal temperature was determined by calculating the relationship between seedling length and temperature via a polynomial regression model. The results showed that no seed germination was detected at 41℃, while emergence and seedling growth were not observed at 38℃ and above. Similar germination percentages, mean germination time, and germination index were obtained between 20℃ and 35℃. The root length reduced at 32℃ and it was more sensitive to high temperatures than shoots because the root/shoot length ratio showed a decreasing trend by increasing temperatures and longer root length was recorded at lower temperatures than 32℃. There were genotypic variations among radish cultivars for temperatures and ‘Kırmızı İnci’, ‘Beyaz İnci’, and ‘Siyah İnci’ produced a better performance than the others under high temperatures. The regression analysis predicted the optimal temperatures as 21.5℃ and 22.6℃ for root and shoot length, respectively. This study indicates that high temperatures inhibited seedling growth rather than seed germination performance of radishes.

Potensi Ekstrak Daun Kelor (Moringa oleifera) sebagai Agen Priming pada Performa Perkecambahan Biji Bawang Merah

Moringa leaf extract is a biostimulant containing various phytohormones that can spur plant growth and development. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of Moringa leaf extract as a priming agent on the germination performance of shallot seeds. The experiment began with leaf extract preparation, seed priming, and germination testing. The data obtained were analyzed using ANOVA, and if there was a significant effect, further tested with the BNJ test with α = 0.05. The data were processed using RStudio software version 4.2.1. The results stated that seed priming with leaf extract concentration of 37.5% had the best effect on all germination parameters, including average germination time (2.19 days), final germination percentage (96.53%), seed germination uniformity (95.83%), germination velocity coefficient (45.85), germination rate index (50.48%/day), sprout vigor index I (790.58), sprout vigor index II (31.30), plumula length (6.53 cm), radicle length (1.66 cm), sprout fresh weight (0.32 g), and sprout dry weight (0.0233 g). It was concluded that Moringa leaf extract has the potential as a priming agent for shallot seeds.
 
 Keywords: botanical seed, moringa leaf, priming, shallot

Effect of glucose on germination performance in two soybean cultivars

Glucose promotes increases in physiological processes related to plant growth and induces cell division and can also act in seed germination. The present investigation has been carried out on the influence of various concentrations of glucose on the germination performance of soybeans seeds of cv. BMX and 66i68. Seeds of soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) were treated with three concentrations of the glucose (0.05, 0.10 and 0.20 mmol L-1), and a control with distilled water. Tests of seed germination and vigor were carried out: it was calculated the germination percentage (first and final counting), percentage of normal seedlings; and speed of germination, length of the primary root and the aerial part of seedlings were recorded. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design with three treatments and five repetitions depending on the test. Increasing doses of the plant growth regulator influence the germination and can increase the speed of germination. The use of glucose in the treatment of soybean seeds, increases the rate of germination and emergence speed, growth of the root system and medium of seedlings. Soybean cultivar BMX seeds showed an increase in physiological performance with increasing glucose dosage.

Effect of acid media on seed germination performance of Swiss-chard (Beta vulgarise L.)

Objectives: An experiment was designed with the objectives of studying the effect of acidity (pH) on the seed germination performance of Swiss-chard, and to determine the optimal pH level for the highest seed germination. Methods: The study was carried out in the laboratory of the Department of Horticulture of the University of Wolkite. The treatments were different pH levels (2, 4, 6 and 7) obtained from solutions of citric acid and distilled water in different concentration mixtures. The CRD design was used with three replicates. Findings: Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that all recorded germination parameters (germination rate, mean germination time, germination speed and germination index) were all most significantly different (p<0.001) for different pH levels. The highest seed germination rates (85.33% and 81.33%) were recorded at pH 7 and pH 6 respectively. Similarly the highest mean germination time (13 days and 11 days) and the highest germination speed (3.88/day and 3.7/day) were recorded at pH 6 and pH 7, respectively. However, the lowest seed germination rate (4%), the lowest mean germination time (0.5 days) and the lowest seed germination speed (0.18/day) at pH 2. The highest germination index (100 and 95.42) was recorded at pH 7 and pH 6 respectively while the lowest seed germination index (4.61) was recorded at pH 2. In general pH 7 and pH 6 can give the best results to the highest germination yield of Swiss chard.

Red LED Light Improves Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Seed Radicle Emergence and Growth through the Modulation of Aquaporins, Hormone Homeostasis, and Metabolite Remobilization

Red LED light (R LED) is an efficient tool to improve seed germination and plant growth under controlled environments since it is more readily absorbed by photoreceptors' phytochromes compared to other wavelengths of the spectrum. In this work, the effect of R LED on the radicle emergence and growth (Phase III of germination) of pepper seeds was evaluated. Thus, the impact of R LED on water transport through different intrinsic membrane proteins, via aquaporin (AQP) isoforms, was determined. In addition, the remobilization of distinct metabolites such as amino acids, sugars, organic acids, and hormones was analysed. R LED induced a higher germination speed index, regulated by an increased water uptake. PIP2;3 and PIP2;5 aquaporin isoforms were highly expressed and could contribute to a faster and more effective hydration of embryo tissues, leading to a reduction of the germination time. By contrast, TIP1;7, TIP1;8, TIP3;1 and TIP3;2 gene expressions were reduced in R LED-treated seeds, pointing to a lower need for protein remobilization. NIP4;5 and XIP1;1 were also involved in radicle growth but their role needs to be elucidated. In addition, R LED induced changes in amino acids and organic acids as well as sugars. Therefore, an advanced metabolome oriented to a higher energetic metabolism was observed, conditioning better seed germination performance together with a rapid water flux.

The application of hydrophilic polyvinyl alcohol coatings filled with different loadings of zinc oxide nanoparticles to mitigate salinity stress of the wheat seeds

AbstractIn this work the effects of wheat seeds coating with polyvinyl alcohol (0 and 1.5 wt.%) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (0, 2, 4, and 6 wt.% of the amount of polyvinyl alcohol) under salinity stress (0 and 2 ds/m) to increase the seed resistance under non‐biological stresses and to improve its productivity were studied. To evaluate the properties of the applied coating on the studied seeds, films consisting of polyvinyl alcohol and zinc oxide nanoparticles were also prepared and characterized by tensile tests, differential scanning calorimeter, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Atomic force microscopy, moisture absorption, hardness, contact angle measurements, and scanning electronic microscope. A laboratory study was conducted as factorial in a completely randomized design with three replications to evaluate the germination indices. The films containing nanoparticles had a higher modulus and elongation at break. However, increasing the nanoparticles to 6 wt.% reduced the tensile strength by 29%. In addition, the application of nanoparticles caused an increase in film hardness, a decrease in moisture absorption, and an increase in contact angle. As results, the mechanical properties of the seed polymer coating were introduced as one of the most influential factors in seed germination performance. Regarding the effect of nanoparticles, zinc oxide nanoparticles significantly reduced the adverse effects of salinity stress.

Potential Biochemical Markers Affecting Aging and “the Compensatory Effects” of Canola (Brassica napus L.) Seeds Stored in Deep Underground

Understanding the impact of deep underground environment on seed storage is an essential prerequisite for realizing the idea of “deep underground agriculture”. To explain the changes in seed germination performance after deep underground storage, we examined the biochemical properties of envelope-packed canola seeds stored for three different durations (66, 90, and 227 days) in four different depths (0, 240, 690, and 1410 m) of a gold mine. Results showed that deep underground storage duration was the leading cause of biochemical properties changes of canola seed, while storage depth exacerbated such changes. Deep underground environment significantly suppressed seed superoxide dismutase (SOD) and soluble sugar (SS), which could be the main reason for the accelerated loss of seed vigor. The appearance of the “compensatory effect” was mainly attributed to the increase in seed growth hormone and the decrease in abscisic acid (ABA) content. The most significant enhancement in growth hormone content was observed in seeds stored at a depth of 1410 m for 66 days, where indoleacetic acid (IAA), gibberellin (GA), and cytokinin (CTK) increased by 63.37%, 21.77%, and 79.36%, respectively. In this study, short-term deep underground storage could enhance seedling growth, but the recommended storage duration for canola seeds should not be longer than 90 days.

THE PHYSIOLOGICAL POTENTIAL OF MARANDU GRASS SEEDS UNDER WATER STRESS CONDITIONED WITH ASCORBIC ACID

Water limitation is one of the main factors that influence the germination process, affecting crop establishment. Thus, alternatives capable of lessening such effects become of great relevance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ascorbic acid dosage on This study aimed of marandu grass seeds submitted to different water conditions. After establishing the immersion time for seed conditioning based on the soakingcurve, the experiment was conducted to evaluate the physiological potential, in a 3x5 factorial scheme, composed of three osmotic potentials (0; -0.2 and -0.4 MPa) and five ascorbic acid doses (0, 20, 40, 60 and 80 mM), with four repetitions. The germination, root protrusion, first germination count, germination speed index, root length and seedling shoots were evaluated. The physiological potential of the seeds was negatively affected by water stress induced by polyethylene glycol 6000, with deleterious effects on osmotic potentials -0.2 and -0.4 MPa. However, ascorbic acid conditioning at doses between 40 and 50 mM promoted improvements in seed germination performance and alleviated the harmful effects promoted by low water availability under the -0.2 MPa potential, stimulating tolerance to water stress. Improvements were also obtained in root and shoot growth of seedlings originated from seeds submitted to -0.4 MPa potential after conditioning.