Crops ›› 2025, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (3): 255-262.doi: 10.16035/j.issn.1001-7283.2025.03.035

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Effects of Seed Sizes on Seed Germination, Seedling Characteristics and Drought Resistance of Dryland Wheat

Huang Ming1(), Fu Xinxin1(), Zhang Zhenwang1,2, Zhang Jun1, Li Youjun1   

  1. 1College of Agriculture, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, Henan,China
    2College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
  • Received:2024-03-18 Revised:2024-05-15 Online:2025-06-15 Published:2025-06-03

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Abstract:

In order to investigate the effects of seed sizes on seed germination, seedling root traits and leaf physiological characteristics and drought resistance of wheat, a hydroponic experiment was conducted. Large grain (> 6-mesh sieve, particle size > 3.35 mm), medium grain (6-8-mesh sieve, particle size 2.36-3.35 mm) and small grain (< 8-mesh sieve, grain size < 2.36mm) of Luohan 6 and Luohan 22 were selected and used as materials. Two water levels of 20% PEG-6000 simulated drought for T treatment and normal water supply for CK were conducted under hydroponic condition. The characteristics of seed germination, and the root characteristics, antioxidant enzyme system and osmotic regulation substances in seedlings at 3, 6, and 9 days after treatments were determined. The results showed that the germination potential and germination rate of large seeds were significantly increased by 7.2% and 12.4% for Luohan 22 under T treatment, and 42.0% and 36.7% for Luohan 6 under CK, but there was no significant advantage in medium seeds compared with small seeds. Compared with small seeds, the root activity of large seeds of Luohan 6 under drought and control all increased at three and six days after treatment, but there was no significant difference in Luohan 22. With the increase of seed size, the root length, root surface area, root volume, the number of root tips and branches increased significantly; and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) and the content of soluble sugar (SS) in seedling leaves showed an increasing trend, while the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and free proline (Pro), showed a decreasing trend. Compared with small seeds, the SOD activity of large seeds under T treatment was significantly increased, the CAT activity under CK and the content of SS under T treatment was increased in Luohan 6, and the MDA and Pro contents of Luohan 22 under CK were all decreased; Compared with medium and small seeds, the comprehensive drought resistance coefficients of the two wheat varieties were all increased. Overall, large seeds have major advantages in terms of germination, seedling roots, and stress resistance; however, the impacts differed based on drought stress, variety, and measurement indexes. Screening and planting large-size seeds is beneficial for improving the germination of dryland wheat seeds and the indexes of seedling development.

Key words: Wheat, Seed size, Seedling, Root, Physiological characteristic, Drought resistance

Table 1

Effects of seed size on germination potential and germination rate of wheat %"

品种
Variety		 种子大小
Seed size		 发芽势Germination potential 发芽率Germination rate
T CK T CK
洛旱6号Luohan 6 Ⅰ 30.00±3.78Aa 81.90±4.12Ab 58.57±5.15Aa 92.86±2.86Ab
Ⅱ 25.71±5.71Aa 74.76±7.33Ab 51.90±3.30Aa 86.67±4.36Bb
Ⅲ 23.81±1.65Aa 40.95±3.30Bb 41.90±3.60ABa 56.19±0.82Cb
洛旱22 Luohan 22 Ⅰ 38.57±2.86Aa 59.52±4.36Ab 57.14±1.43Aa 85.71±1.43Ab
Ⅱ 28.57±7.14Ba 54.29±8.92Ab 40.95±8.61Ba 80.95±6.75Ab
Ⅲ 31.40±2.86Ba 52.38±5.02Ab 44.70±7.87Ba 82.86±2.47Ab

Fig.1

Effects of seed size on root activity of wheat seedlings Different capital letters indicate significant differences in seed sizes under the same treatment in the same measuring period; different lowercase letters indicate significant differences under different treatments under the same seed size in the same measuring period (P < 0.05). The same below."

Table 2

Effect of seed size on root traits of wheat seedling"

指标
Index		 处理
Treatment		 天数
Days (d)		 洛旱6号Luohan 6 洛旱22 Luohan 22
Ⅰ Ⅱ Ⅲ Ⅰ Ⅱ Ⅲ
总根长
Total root length (cm)		 T 4 335.6±4.2Ab 208.3±9.4Bb 152.4±13.6Cb 289.5±20.4Ab 190.8±12.7Bb 128.0±16.4Cb
8 454.2±16.3Ab 347.0±21.2Bb 201.7±5.7Cb 417.6±13.0Ab 299.6±22.6Bb 212.6±5.7Ca
CK 4 557.4±8.4Aa 406.9±4.9Ba 314.2±12.6Ca 457.5±26.4Aa 370.3±15.1Ba 257.5±6.0Ca
8 759.4±15.0Aa 573.8±47.0Ba 392.8±11.0Ca 558.8±23.7Aa 462.2±18.5Ba 291.5±47.3Ca
总根表面积
Total root surface
area (cm2)		 T 4 27.3±1.6Ab 17.7±0.8Bb 13.8±0.2Cb 28.6±2.3Ab 16.7±0.6Bb 10.2±1.3Cb
8 40.2±1.1Ab 34.4±3.3Bb 20.4±0.3Cb 39.9±4.1Aa 28.6±3.0Ba 21.1±1.0Ca
CK 4 40.8±2.3Aa 30.1±0.9Ba 24.4±2.6Ca 33.9±0.6Aa 28.0±0.7Ba 20.7±1.7Ca
8 56.0±5.1Aa 45.0±4.2Ba 30.2±1.8Ca 47.8±3.1Aa 35.7±4.4Ba 23.3±5.1Ca
根直径
Root diameter (mm)		 T 4 0.32±0.03Aa 0.30±0.03Aa 0.28±0.01Aa 0.28±0.02Aa 0.29±0.02Aa 0.25±0.02Aa
8 0.33±0.00Aa 0.30±0.01Ba 0.27±0.01Ca 0.33±0.02Aa 0.28±0.01Ba 0.32±0.02Aa
CK 4 0.25±0.01Ab 0.23±0.01Ab 0.23±0.01Ab 0.26±0.00Aa 0.26±0.01Aa 0.23±0.01Ba
8 0.23±0.02Ab 0.25±0.01Ab 0.23±0.00Ab 0.26±0.01Ab 0.26±0.01Aa 0.23±0.01Bb
总根体积
Total root volume (cm3)		 T 4 0.18±0.03Aa 0.13±0.02Ab 0.13±0.03Aa 0.20±0.03Aa 0.14±0.03Aa 0.07±0.01Bb
8 0.29±0.00Ab 0.25±0.01Ba 0.16±0.01Ca 0.33±0.03Aa 0.20±0.02Ba 0.17±0.02Ba
CK 4 0.24±0.02Aa 0.17±0.01Ba 0.15±0.03Ba 0.20±0.02Aa 0.15±0.02Ba 0.15±0.02Ba
8 0.36±0.02Aa 0.28±0.03Ba 0.19±0.02Ca 0.32±0.03Aa 0.23±0.03Ba 0.15±0.03Ca
总根尖数Total root tips T 4 460.3±44.1Ab 385.7±8.7ABb 318.3±50.7Ba 445.0±77.5Ab 292.7±38.0Bb 230.3±30.2Bb
8 1076.0±9.4Ab 703.3±163.6Ba 473.0±137.3Ba 1009.0±20.2Ab 592.3±215.5Ba 349.7±36.7Bb
CK 4 919.7±38.6Aa 728.3±26.6Ba 431.3±53.1Ca 725.3±56.6Aa 611.7±26.2Aa 460.3±58.0Ba
8 1562.7±87.2Aa 978.0±88.8Ba 766.3±110.6Ba 1471.0±84.1Aa 950.3±155.3Ba 674.0±21.7Ca
根分枝数
Number of root branches		 T 4 909.3±71.3Ab 564.7±65.2Bb 402.0±136.1Ba 656.3±32.2Ab 467.3±73.7Bb 399.0±55.1Ba
8 1849.3±49.8Aa 1151.3±90.4Bb 510.3±43.7Cb 1388.3±128.4Ab 1172.7±105.8Aa 659.7±115.6Ba
CK 4 1469.0±126.9Aa 1010.3±7.6Ba 606.3±62.5Ca 1150.0±122.5Aa 805.0±66.6Ba 490.7±57.2Ca
8 2639.0±525.2Aa 1915.0±316.1ABa 1154.7±64.4Ba 1835.0±37.5Aa 1485.7±247.2Aa 829.3±110.8Ba

Fig.2

Effects of seed size on SOD, CAT activities and MDA contents in wheat seedling leaves"

Fig.3

Effects of seed sizes on SS and Pro contents in wheat seedling leaves"

Table 3

Effects of seed size on drought resistance coefficient and comprehensive drought resistance coefficient in wheat during the germination and seedling stages"

指标Index 洛旱6号 Luohan 6 洛旱22 Luohan 22
Ⅰ Ⅱ Ⅲ Ⅰ Ⅱ Ⅲ
发芽率Germination rate 0.63 0.60 0.75 0.67 0.51 0.54
发芽势Germination energy 0.37 0.34 0.58 0.65 0.53 0.60
根系活力Root activity 1.25 1.18 1.20 1.45 1.43 1.12
总根长度Total root length 0.60 0.57 0.50 0.71 0.60 0.65
总根表面积
Total root surface area		 0.74 0.68 0.63 0.88 0.61 0.78
根直径Root diameter 0.33 0.30 0.27 0.31 0.28 0.30
总根体积Total root volume 0.25 0.21 0.15 0.28 0.18 0.13
总根尖数Total root tips 0.63 0.66 0.66 0.66 0.58 0.51
根分枝数
Number of root branches		 0.67 0.59 0.52 0.69 0.72 0.80
SOD活性SOD activity 0.69 0.83 0.73 0.79 0.58 0.69
CAT活性CAT activity 0.40 0.44 0.55 0.46 0.41 0.52
MDA含量MDA content 1.31 1.48 1.30 1.46 1.46 1.44
SS含量SS content 0.44 0.38 0.44 0.52 0.52 0.61
Pro含量Pro content 3.20 2.77 2.97 5.27 4.07 3.88
综合抗旱系数
Comprehensive drought
resistance coefficient		 11.51 11.02 11.24 14.80 12.47 12.57
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