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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2015, Vol. 24 ›› Issue (3): 89-98.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb20150309

• Orignal Article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Evaluation of the germination characteristics and drought resistance of green manure crops under PEG stress

SUN Yanru1,2, SHI Yi1, CHEN Guojun1,2, YAN Huifeng1*   

  1. 1.Institute of Turfgrass Science, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China;
    2.College of Economics and Management, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010019, China
  • Received:2014-09-17 Revised:2014-10-21 Online:2015-03-20 Published:2015-03-20

Abstract: The experiment was conducted to estimate the seed germination characteristics and drought resistance of seeds of eight green manure crop species (Amaranthus hypochondriacus; Sinapis alba; Lolium multiflorum; Secal ecerale; Astragalus adsurgens;Vicia villosa; Hordeum vulgare; Orychophragmus violaceus) by simulating drought stress using different concentrations of polyethylene glycol (PEG)-6000 solution. Low concentrations of PEG-6000 improved seed germination in seven species including H. vulgare, S. cerale and V. villosa. Low PEG-6000 concentration improved the radicle length in all species but reduced plumule length. Seed germination, radicle length, plumule length, germination stress index and germination drought resistance index of all species decreased with increasing PEG-6000 concentration, while the radicle-plumule ratio increased. The order of drought-resistance of the eight species tested was: A. hypochondriacus>S. alba>L. multiflorum>S. cerale>A. adsurgens>V. villosa>H. vulgare>O. violaceus. Three drought resistant classes: high (A. hypochondriacus and S. alba), medium (L. multiflorum, S. cerale, A. adsurgens, V. villosa and H. vulgare) and low (O. violaceus) were identified. Species with high drought resistance are probably the most suited to the Huanghuaihai Plain.