Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences
J. Anim. Plant Sci. [ISSN 2071 - 7024]
Volume 21(1): 3212 - 3222. Published March, 2014.
The germination and seedlings growth response of wheat and corn to drought and low temperature in spring of Northeast China
Xiaoyu Li1*, Chunsheng Mu2, Jixiang Lin3
1Key
Laboratory of wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of
Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Science, Changchun
130102, China;
2Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology
of Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun
130024, China;
3Alkali Soil Natural Environmental Science Centre, Northeast Forestry
University, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology
Restoration in Oil Field, Ministry of Education, Harbin 150040, China
Corresponding address: Shengbei Street 4888#, Northern Gaoxin District,
Changchun, China, 130102, Phone: +86-431-85542256, Fax number:
+86-431-85542298
*Corresponding E-mail: lixiaoyu@neigae.ac.cn
Keywords: drought; low temperature; seeds germination; early seedlings; northeast of China; crops
1 SUMMARY
Wheat and corn were chosen to study the single and combined stress
effects of low temperature and drought on their germination
characteristic and early seedlings growth. Results showed that both
single and their interaction of low temperature and drought could
affect the germination and early seedlings growth of wheat and corn
significantly. With the increasing Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) levels and
decreasing temperature, wheat seeds could keep higher germination
percentage when temperature was between 15 °C and 25 °C or PEG level
was between 0 to 20%. The germination percentage reduced markedly when
temperature was 10 °C, or PEG level was at 30%. Corn seeds decreased
sharply with the increasing PEG levels and decreasing temperature, and
could not germinated when temperature was 10 °C, or PEG level was at
30%. The length and biomass of wheat early seedlings had similar change
tendency, which increased first then decreased. The length and biomass
change of corn seedlings was consistent with their germination, which
decreased significantly. The peaking values of wheat and corn seedlings
were showed at 10% and 0 PEG levels, 20 °C and 25 °C, respectively.
Wheat had higher root/shoot than corn. More root biomass and higher
root/shoot were the adaptation characteristic of wheat seedlings to low
temperature and drought stress. From these results, it can be concluded
that maize growth would be better, if the temperature and water
condition was good in Northeast China (temperature was between 20 °C to
25 °C; water condition was lower than PEG 5%), if not, wheat could
germinate and grow better than corn. In the maize planting zones of
Northeast China, the adaptive management method is to delay the
planting time until the temperature and water condition improves to
avoid loses of maize production.
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