Does seed size affect the germination rate and seedling growth of peanut under salinity and water stress?

Abstract

Seed size is an important indicator of physiological quality, since it may affect seed germination and seedling growth, especially under stress conditions. This study aimed to investigate the effects of seed size on germination and initial seedling growth, under salinity and water stress conditions. The treatments were arranged in a completely randomized design, in a 3 × 3 factorial scheme: three seed size classes (small, medium and large) and three stress treatments (control, saline or water stress), with four replicates. Water and salt stresses do not reduce the germination rate of medium and large seeds; however, the germination rate of small seeds is reduced under salt stress conditions. Drought stress drastically reduces the shoot growth of seedlings regardless of seed size, whereas root growth is higher in seedlings from medium and large seeds under water stress conditions. Under non-stressful environments, the use of large seeds is preferable, resulting in more vigorous seedlings with a greater dry matter accumulation. Medium-size seeds are more adapted to adverse environmental conditions and, therefore, should be used under conditions of water shortage and salt excess in the soil at sowing time. Seedlings are more tolerant to salinity than to water stress during the germination stage and initial growth under laboratory conditions.

Seed Weight as a Covariate in Association and Prediction Studies for Biomass Traits in Maize Seedlings

“…The increase in prediction accuracies in C and decrease in WW confirmed that higher seed weight might facilitate the increase of prediction accuracy given that the water is not in deficit. This was also confirmed in phenotypic studies in maize [44], peanut [45], and soybean [46]. However, in the current study, genomic prediction was shown to be efficient in predicting early biomass accumulation, with accuracies somewhat lower, but comparable to those obtained for biomass accumulation in the later growth stages [47].…”

Overcoming Seed Dormancy of Senegalia Galpinii and Vachellia Robusta Through Scarification Pre-Sowing Treatments

“…It has been demonstrated that seed size, represented by length, width, breadth and weight, is a life history trait that may affect the fitness of parent plants and the population regeneration process (Harper et al, 1970;Harper, 1977;Fenner, 1985;Gross and Kramer, 1986;Silvertown, 1989;Chacon et al, 1998;Finch-Savage and Bassel 2016;Steiner et al, 2019). This implies that seed size affects the germination, emergence, plant growth and performance of plants in the field.…”

“…It has been shown that plants from large seeds had larger and more leaves, greater plant weight and more vigour than plants from small seeds (Elliott et al, 2007). Large seeds have been shown to exhibit higher germination and emergence than small seeds and produce larger and more vigorous seedlings, which may enhance survivorship (Hendrix, 1984;Sikder et al 2009;Steiner et al, 2019).…”

“…The individual seed size (mass) in a species varies from nearly constant (Fenner, 1985) to as high as 16-fold (Thompson and Pellmyr, 1989). In general, large seeds have a higher seedling survival rate, higher growth and better field performance than small seeds (Ambika et al 2014;Steiner et al, 2019). Despite the practical importance, there is no information on the numbers of seeds per pod, seed sizes (length, width and breadth), single seed masses and thousand seed weights of both S. galpinii and V. robusta.…”

Seed biometry: another functional trait in caatinga

“…The variability normally found results from the high phenotypic plasticity that plants encounter, being able to react differently to the same type of stress and may contribute to the development of works in the areas of restoration and conservation (Khurana & Singh, 2001;Long et al, 2015). Genetic and ecological factors are the ones that apply the largest effect over the size of the diaspore (Wiesbauer, Giehl, & Jarenkow, 2008;Steiner, Zuffo, Busch, Sousa, & Zoz, 2019). They range from height, life and fertility of the mother plant pollen to abiotic factors such as temperature, length of day, soil quality, presence of pathogens, type of pollinators and dispersers, among others (Leishman, Wright, Moles, & Westoby, 2000;Jakobsson & Eriksson, 2000;Westoby, Falster, Moles, Vesk, & Wright, 2002;Pizo, 2003;Gressler, Pizo, & Morellato, 2006;Aud & Ferraz, 2012;Tanveer, Tasneem, Khaliq, Javaid, & Chaudhry, 2013).…”