Evaluation of the effects of drought stress of mother plants on some seed germination indices of Satureja hortensis

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 MSc Graduate, Faculty of Natural Resources and Desert Studies, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Faculty of Natural Resources and Desert Studies, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran

Abstract

Seed germination indices can be affected by drought stress in ripening stage of seeds on mother plant.  In this study, four water stress treatments (100, 75, 50 and 25% of field capacity (FC)) were imposed during seed maturation of Satureja hortensis, and subsequently the effects of treatment on seed germination characteristics of S. hortensis were evaluated using a completely randomized design with four replications. The number of germinated seeds was counted each day and sampled after ten days. Then, percentage,rate of germination, vigor, mean daily germination, final germination percentage, daily germination speed, germination index and length of shoot and root were determined.  The results indicated that the drought stress had a significant (P<0.01) effect on germination rate, seed vigor as well as shoot and root length of S. hortensis. The seed germination percentage was significantly affected by drought stress at 5% level. Drought stress during maturity of  seeds on mother plants had no significant effects on1000 seed weight, daily seed germination, daily germination rate and germination index. The maximum germination percentage (97.75) was observed in 100% of field capacity and the lowest germination percentage was in the treatment of 50% FC with 87.50. The maximum seed germination rate (10.95) was observed in 50% of field capacity while the lowest seed germination rate (7.94) was observed in 100% FC. The maximum seed vigor (5.15) was obtained in 100% FC that had no significant difference with 75 FC and the lowest seed vigor (4.07) was obtained in 50% FC that had no significant difference with 25% FC.

Keywords

Desert Management
Volume 4, Issue 8 - Serial Number 8
9 Articles
March 2017
Pages 27-35

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History

  • Receive Date: 19 August 2015
  • Revise Date: 07 October 2016
  • Accept Date: 05 January 2017

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