title: [Response of seed germination of three xeromorphic shrubs to drought stress].
abstract: The seed germination, seedling growth and water absorption characteristic of Caragana korshinskii, Hedysarum scoparium, and Artemisia sphearocephala were investigated under different osmotic potentials (PEG 6000, -0.3(-) -2.7 MPa). The results showed that under drought stress, C. korshinskii had the highest germination rate, while A. sphearocephala had the lowest one. Under -0.3(-) -0.6 MPa, the root length of 10-day-old A. sphearocephala seedling was significantly longer than that of H. scoparium and Caragana korshinskii(P < 0.05), and the length reached 7.9, 4.5 and 3.1 cm, respectively. There existed a significant positive correlation between seed germination rate and 72 h water absorption rate of the three shrub seeds(P < 0.01). The relationships among germination characteristics, root length, and survive percentage of seedlings were also discussed.
authors.affiliation: College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Gansu Grassland Ecological Research Institute, Lanzhou.
authors.forename: Yanjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Yanrong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ren
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sa
authors.forename: Xuemei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tian
mesh_terms: D019306:Artemisia / Q000502:physiology*; D032602:Caragana / Q000502:physiology*; D004190:Disasters; D017753:Ecosystem; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000502:physiology*; D018525:Germination / Q000502:physiology*; D012639:Seeds / Q000502:physiology*