Effects of silicon addition on seed germination and seedling growth of alfalfa

Abstract

Abstract: A previous pot experiment indicated that silicon addition encouraged alfalfa plants to grow and increased the biomass. Effects of silicon addition on seed germination and seedling growth of alfalfa using a water culture experiment were investigated in this study. Silicon addition had no effect on initial time of seed germination or on final germination rate. However, it enabled seeds to germinate faster and enhanced germination index, vigor index and germination energy, implying that silicon addition did not improve seed quality but did improve seed vitality. There were different responses of shoot and root lengths of alfalfa seedlings to silicon addition, indicating that silicon addition significantly increased the shoot length of alfalfa seedlings (P<0.05), but did not affect root length. Silicon addition increased the biomass of alfalfa seedlings (P<0.05). The concentration of silicon solution was not related to germination index, germination energy, length of shoot and root, or biomass of seedlings. Silicon is directly involved in the physiological process of seed germination and seedling growth of alfalfa.

CLC Number:

LIU Hui-xia, SHEN Xiao-rong, GUO Zheng-gang. Effects of silicon addition on seed germination and seedling growth of alfalfa[J]. Acta Prataculturae Sinica, 2011, 20(1): 155-160.

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