Water availability effects on germination, membrane stability and initial root growth of Agave lechuguilla and A. salmiana

Autor: Rodolfo García-Nava, Huitziméngari Campos, Carlos Trejo, F. Víctor Conde-Martínez, Cecilia B. Peña-Valdivia, Rocío Cruz-Ortega
Rok vydání: 2020
Předmět:
Zdroj: Flora. 268:151606
ISSN: 0367-2530
DOI: 10.1016/j.flora.2020.151606
Popis: Water availability during seed germination and seedling development is critical to plant development and establishment. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of four water potentials (ΨW) (−0.03, −0.48, −1.19 and −2.04 MPa) on seed germination, seedling root growth and root membrane stability of Agave lechuguilla Torr. and A. salmiana Otto ex Salm-Dyck. to explain the paradoxical situation of vegetatively propagated species producing large quantities of seeds in a dry climate. The results showed that seed water uptake and germination percentage were significantly lower at −1.19 and −2.04 MPa than at −0.03 MPa. The time to reach maximum seed germination increased at low ΨW. The final root length and root growth rate were higher in A. salmiana than in A. lechuguilla and decreased at ΨW of −1.19 and −2.04 MPa. Both Agave species increased root electrolyte leakage at ΨW of −1.19 MPa, which suggests changes in membrane integrity and stability in response to the water deficit. These germination and initial root growth responses could ensure the establishment of both Agave species during the rare periods with sufficient moisture availability and allow them to tolerate initial periods of low water availability, although with low establishment probability.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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