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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2010, Vol. 19 ›› Issue (4): 61-70.

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Response and drought resistance of four leguminous pastures to drought during seed germination

QIN Wen-jing1, LIANG Zong-suo1,2   

  1. 1.College of Life Sciences, North A&F University, Yangling 712100, China;
    2.Research Center of
    Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Science and Ministry of
    Water Resources, Yangling 712100, China
  • Received:2009-09-04 Online:2010-08-20 Published:2010-08-20

Abstract: The biological and germination characteristics of four Leguminous pasture plants (Vicia villosa, Astragalus adsurgens, Melilotus albus, Lespedeza hedysaroides) on the Loess Plateau were studied when under water stress. 1) The four species had different biological seed characteristics. Seed water content and seed imbibition rates of A. adsurgens and V. villosa were higher than those of the other two species while seed vitality of L. hedysaroides and V. villosa were higher than the others. 2) As the drought intensified, total seed germination rate, seedling fresh weights, drought resistance index, growth of radical and plumule of the four species declined with M. albus showing the largest decline. 3) The low content PEG-6000 improved seed germination of L. hedysaroides, seedling growth of A. adsurgens, and those of the drought resistance index. 4) The comprehensive evaluation of the four species by the membership function method indicated that the drought resistances decreased in the order V. villosa, L. hedysaroides, A. adsurgens, and M. albus.

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