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Comparison of the seed germination and early seedling growth of soybean in saline conditions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2007

Mohammad Khajeh Hosseini ,
Alison A. Powell  and
Ian J. Bingham
Mohammad Khajeh Hosseini*
Affiliation:
1Department of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
Alison A. Powell
Affiliation:
1Department of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
Ian J. Bingham
Affiliation:
2Department of Agronomy, SAC, Craibstone Estate, Aberdeen, AB21 9YA, UK
*
*Correspondence Fax: +44–1224–273731 Email: agr844@abdn.ac.uk
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Abstract

Germination and seedling growth of soybean (Glycine max L.) cv. Williams were examined on paper towels pre-moistened with a range of saline solutions (germination: 0–500 mMolal NaCl; seedling growth: 0–330 mMolal NaCl). The Na+, K+ and Ca2+ concentrations in the embryonic axis immediately before germination and in the seedling 3.5 d after germination were measured. Germination decreased at NaCl concentrations of 330 mMolal (81% germination) and above. At 420 mMolal NaCl, only 40% of seeds germinated, and at 500 mMolal NaCl there was no germination. Seedling growth rate decreased drastically with increasing salinity. At 220 mMolal NaCl, seedling growth rate had declined to 5% of the control, whereas at 330 mMolal NaCl seedling growth was almost zero 3–4 d after germination. Thus, soybean seeds were more tolerant of salinity in the germination than in the seedling phase. The results suggest that the greater tolerance of salinity during the germination phase might, in part, be the result of a lower sensitivity to high tissue Na+ concentrations. Germination (40%) was possible at a tissue Na+ concentration in the embryonic axis of 9.3 mg g FW-1, whereas seedling growth was completely inhibited at a tissue Na+ concentration of 6.1 mg g FW-1. Germination at higher tissue Na+ concentrations was associated with higher K+ and Ca2+ concentrations in the embryo axis, compared with growing seedlings, suggesting that these ions may protect the seeds in the pre-germination phase against salinity.

Keywords

seedling growthcalciumpotassiumsodiumsalinity stressseed germinationsoybeanGlycine max
Type
Research Article
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 12 , Issue 3 , September 2002 , pp. 165 - 172
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2002

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