盐分和水分胁迫对两种盐生植物盐爪爪和盐穗木种子萌发的影响

采用不同浓度NaCl和等渗PEG(分子量为6000)处理2种盐生植物种子(盐爪爪Kalidiumfoliatum、盐穗木Halostachys caspica)。结果表明,(1)NaCl和等渗PEG对种子的萌发均产生抑制作用,且PEG的抑制程度大于等渗NaCl,说明渗透胁迫是影响盐生植物种子萌发的主要因素;(2)盐胁迫和水分胁迫对盐生植物种子的萌发具有明显的抑制作用,降低了种子的萌发率,推迟了种子的初始萌发时间、延长了种子的萌发时间;(3)根据2种盐生植物种子萌发耐盐性比较,两种盐生植物均具有较强的耐盐性,在0~300 mmol.L-1NaCl盐溶液范围内,盐穗木种子相对萌发率达到95%以上,盐爪爪达到80%以上,说明盐穗木比盐爪爪具有更强的耐盐性。盐穗木种子耐盐适宜值为332.5 mmol.L-1,临界值为540 mmo.lL-1,极限值为749 mmo.lL-1;盐爪爪种子耐盐适宜值为246.5 mmol.L-1,临界值为391.8 mmo.lL-1,极限值为537 mmol.L-1;(4)低浓度的NaCl溶液对种子萌发的幼苗生长起着促进作用。在100 mmo.lL-1NaCl处理时,两种盐生植物幼苗的胚...     

一年生盐生植物耐盐机制研究进展

 盐生植物是一类能够在盐土上完成生活史的天然植物, 在与盐土协同演化过程中形成了一系列适应盐生环境的特殊生存策略。其中一年生盐生植物因其生活史短、方便培养和观察、易于基因转化和后代繁殖, 已成为耐盐机制研究的主要对象。一年生盐生植物面临多变的生境胁迫, 具有更大的生存风险, 所以具有不同于多年生盐生植物的更稳妥的适应机制, 主要体现在种子的高盐休眠、复水速萌、形态和萌发的多态性、存在持久种子库及调节资源分配等方面。种子萌发后的生长、发育和繁殖等生活史的各阶段都要经受严峻的盐生胁迫环境。通常所说的耐盐机理是指成株对盐分的调控, 按照植物种类不同而分为稀盐、泌盐和拒盐3种耐盐形式。该文在对国内外相关文献进行分析归纳的基础上, 首先介绍了一年生盐生植物的常见类型, 然后分别从种子特征、形态结构、生理生化和生态习性等方面综述了一年生盐生植物的耐盐机制。     

盐生植物种子的休眠、休眠解除及萌发的特点

本文讨论了盐生植物种子的休眠、休眠解除及萌发的特点 ,主要内容有 :( 1 )盐生植物种子的休眠类型 ;( 2 )打破盐生植物种子休眠的必要条件 ;( 3)盐生种子萌发与土壤盐度的关系。并讨论了盐度抑制盐生植物种子的机理。最后 ,作者提出了将来研究盐生植物种子萌发需要解决的几个重点问题以及研究盐生植物种子休眠和萌发问题的意义     

盐生植物种子的休眠、休眠解除及萌发的特点

本文讨论了盐生植物种子的休眠、休眠解除及萌发的特点,主要内容有：(1) 盐生植物种子的休眠类型;(2) 打破盐生植物种子休眠的必要条件;(3) 盐生种子萌发与土壤盐度的关系。并讨论了盐度抑制盐生植物种子的机理。最后,作者提出了将来研究盐生植物种子萌发需要解决的几个重点问题以及研究盐生植物种子休眠和萌发问题的意义。     

盐生植物种子的休眠解除及萌发的特特点

本文讨论了盐生植物种子的休眠、休眠解除及萌发的特点,主要内容有：⑴盐生植物种子的休眠类型;⑵打破盐生植物种子休眠的必要条件;⑶盐生种子萌发与土壤盐度的关系。并讨论了盐度抑制盐生植物种子的机理。最后,作者提出了将来研究盐生植物种子萌发需要解决的几个重点问题以及研究盐生植物种子体眠和萌发问题的意义。     

河西走廊几种荒漠植物种子萌发特性研究

为了解植物种子萌发适应干旱环境的基本特性, 以河西走廊人工梭梭林中重要值较大的梭梭(Haloxylon ammodendron)、红砂(Reaumuria soongarica)、多枝柽柳(Tamarix ramosissima)、雾冰藜(Bassia dasyphylla)、沙蓬(Agriophyllum squarrosum)、刺沙篷(Salsola ruthenica)、蒙古虫实(Corispermum mongolicum)、白茎盐生草(Halogeton arachnoideus)、盐爪爪(Kalidium foliatum)、花花柴(Karelinia caspia)等10种植物种子为对象, 对其萌发率、萌发开始时间、平均萌发时间和萌发持续时间进行研究。结果表明: (1)10种荒漠植物种子在Log尺度下均呈正态分布,种子大小与萌发持续时间、萌发开始时间和平均萌发时间之间都呈显著正相关(P＜0.05), 而与萌发率呈极显著负相关(P＜0.01)。(2)萌发率正态分布曲线呈现单峰型, 除沙蓬、刺沙篷外, 其余8种植物种子萌发率大于20%, 说明荒漠植物具有较高的萌发特性;萌发开始时间呈单峰型, 1—3 d内开始萌发的植物占90%, 说明荒漠种子萌发时间较短; 持续萌发时间呈单峰型, 梭梭持续萌发时间最短; 平均萌发时间呈单峰型,红砂平均萌发时间最长。(3)聚类分析显示, 10种植物种子萌发特性分为快速萌发型和缓慢萌发型, 主要受外界环境长期适应和选择的结果, 也是荒漠植物生存策略的重要环节。     

MicroRNA在植物抵御盐胁迫过程中的作用

盐胁迫是植物生长发育过程中的重要限制因子,可影响植物器官发育、形态建成、信号转导等各个环节,严重时会导致植物死亡。MicroRNA(miRNA)是一类长约19-25 nt的非编码单链RNA分子,越来越多的研究发现,在植物抵御盐胁迫过程中,miRNA可通过参与调控植物种子萌发、器官发育、形态建成、活性氧清除等过程发挥重要作用。对在植物抵御盐胁迫过程中发生响应的miRNA进行综述,旨在为植物耐盐机制研究和植物耐盐分子育种提供参考。     

环境气体对植物种子萌发影响的作用过程研究进展

种子萌发受多种外界环境因素诱导和调控，且一旦种子萌发启动，胚将不可避免的生长或死亡，是一个不可逆的过程，决定着植物种群的繁衍、进化和农林业生产。大气和土壤中的多种气体对植物种子萌发具有重要影响，与固液物质相比，环境气体扩散速度快、影响范围大，是影响植物种子萌发的重要生态因子。目前，已知影响植物种子萌发的气体物质有环境气体分子、植物燃烟和植物挥发物3大类，其中环境气体分子包括氧气(O₂)和二氧化碳(CO₂)，以及一氧化氮(NO)、一氧化碳(CO)、硫化氢(H₂S)、二氧化硫(SO₂)、乙烯(C₂H₄)和氢气(H₂)等气体信号分子；植物燃烟包括纤维素衍生的karrikins和木质素衍生的丁香醛及多种植物源燃烟；植物挥发物包括烯类和烷类物质及多种植物组织挥发物。本文综述了环境气体对植物种子萌发影响的作用过程研究进展，分析了这些气体物质对植物种子萌发的影响作用方式，并提出了今后开展研究的建议，以期为气体物质调控种子萌发技术研发，实现种子萌发时...     

盐胁迫对荆条、白蜡、沙枣种子萌发的影响

用不同浓度的NaCl、Na₂CO₃混合盐胁迫梯度,对荆条、白蜡和沙枣种子进行了种子萌发实验,观察了3个物种在盐胁迫下的发芽率、发芽速度和胚根生长,比较了光照和黑暗条件下3种植物种子的萌发差异。结果表明：光照对3种植物种子的萌发有明显的促进作用,但对胚根生长的影响却各不相同。低浓度混合盐溶液对荆条、白蜡种子萌发有促进作用,对沙枣有轻度抑制。当盐胁迫浓度超过0.8%,3种植物种子的萌发均受到不良影响,尤其对荆条的影响较大。3种植物均能在盐渍化生境中生长,3者均可作为园林植物在天津试验栽培。沙枣在天津塘沽地区盐碱地上进行广泛种植完全具有可行性。     

花发育的基因调控与花性状的改造

花发育的基因调控与花性状的改造华志明（厦门大学生物学系,厦门３６１００５）植物种子萌发后,经过一段时间的营养生长,在内外界环境因子共同作用下,植物开始由营养生长向生殖生长转变。花的发育（成花过程）就是这种转变的重要标志。成花过程不仅是植物生长发育中的...     

Germination strategies of halophyte seeds under salinity

Halophytes are plants of saline habitats that grow under conditions that may vary in extremes of temperatures (freezing to very hot), water availability (drought to water logging) and salinity (mild to almost saturation). Halophytes may also face sudden micro-environmental variations within their habitats. In this review we examine some of the factors that determine the ability of seeds of halophytes to germinate when conditions are optimal for seedling growth and survival.Seed dormancy (innate, induced or acquired) is an important means of initiating growth under appropriate conditions. Saline environments are often wet and so the seeds of halophytes may remain un-germinated over extended periods even after imbibition if the external environment does not favour germination and seedling survival. Many perennial halophytes, however, do not possess elaborate dormancy systems because they propagate largely through ramets and have no ecological compulsions for seed germination.The seeds of halophytes also have the capacity to recover from a salinity shock and start germination once salinity is reduced, which may happen following rain. In some cases, imbibition in a low-salt solution may help in osmo-priming and improve germination. Seed heteromorphism is yet another strategy adopted by some halophytes, whereby seeds of different size and colour are produced that germinate consecutively at suitable intervals. Light-dependent germination may also help if the seed is under a dense canopy or buried in debris; germination only occurs once these restraints are removed thus increasing the chances of seedling survival.     

Effects of maternal salinity on salt tolerance during germination of Suaeda aegyptiaca,a facultative halophyte in the Arab Gulf desert

Suaeda aegyptiaca is a facultative halophyte found in saline and non‐saline habitats of the Arab Gulf desert, which produces small‐sized undispersible seeds. The interactive effects of maternal salinity and other environmental conditions, such as salinity, light and temperatures, that are prevailing during seed germination have received little attention for a facultative halophyte. This study tested the effects of maternal salinity on salt tolerance during seed germination of S. aegyptiaca under different light and temperature regimes. Seeds collected from both saline and non‐saline habitats of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were germinated in 0, 50, 100, 200 and 400 mM NaCl, and incubated at 15/25°C, 20/30°C and 25/35°C in both 12‐h light/12‐h dark regimes and continuous darkness. Generally, seeds of the non‐saline habitat were 56% heavier and attained greater germination at the lower temperatures than seeds of the saline habitat. Seeds of the saline habitat germinated better in saline solutions at higher temperatures and in light. Germination was faster for seeds of the saline habitat than for seeds of non‐saline habitats. Germination recovery after transfer to distilled water was significantly greater for seeds from the non‐saline habitat, compared with seeds from saline habitats. Recovery was greater at lower and/or moderate temperatures, compared with at higher temperatures. Germination was significantly faster during recovery, compared with in the saline solutions. The study indicates that the maternal effect of salinity was confounded with the seed‐size effect and it cannot be conclusively confirmed.     

盐生植物角果碱蓬种子二型性对环境的适应策略

角果碱蓬(Suaeda corniculata)是藜科一年生盐生植物, 在我国分布于北方盐碱滩涂和盐碱荒漠地区。角果碱蓬具有棕色和黑色两种异型体种子(简称棕色和黑色种子)。对采自内蒙古鄂托克前旗盐渍化生境的角果碱蓬二型种子的形态、休眠和萌发特性开展对比研究, 测定了二型种子休眠和萌发行为对温度、光照和盐分(NaCl)的响应, 以揭示盐生植物异型种子对温带盐漠生境的适应对策。结果表明: (1)二型性种子在大小、种皮特性和结实比例方面有显著差异。与黑色种子相比, 棕色种子个体较大, 种皮透水性强。黑色种子与棕色种子的结实比例约为5.6 : 1。(2)新成熟的棕色种子的萌发对各温度梯度和光照条件不敏感, 萌发率较高(84%-100%); 而新成熟的黑色种子萌发率较低(8%-78%), 萌发对光照敏感。(3)黑色种子具有浅度生理休眠, 种皮划破、赤霉素处理和低温层积均可有效地提高种子的萌发率。(4)二型种子萌发对土壤盐分的胁迫具有不同的响应。与黑色种子相比, 棕色种子对盐分胁迫不敏感, 在较高的盐分浓度下仍有较高的萌发率, 低温层积处理能够降低黑色种子对盐胁迫的敏感性, 有效地提高种子的初始萌发率、萌发恢复率和最终萌发率。角果碱蓬二型种子不同的形态、休眠和萌发特性, 提高了该物种在高度异质性生境中的适合度, 对种群成功地适应温带盐漠环境具有重要的意义。     

Halophyte and glycophyte salt tolerance at germination and the establishment of halophyte shrubs in saline environments

Saline sites suffer variations in surface salinity, available soil water, temperature, soil crust strength and other factors which can influence germination and establishment. For establishment to occur the germinating seed must capitalise on a window of opportunity. This window can be widened by placing seeds in a low-salt niche, covering the seeds with a mulch (such as vermiculite), spraying the seed and mulch placement with a coating which may stabilise the favourable situation and raise soil temperature. In this paper it is shown that using seeds collected from plants of Atriplex amnicola which produce many volunteer seedlings in their vicinity can assist establishment from direct seeding. These seeds had the ability to germinate under saltier and cooler conditions than seeds from A. amnicola bushes which did not produce volunteers. Seeds of a halophyte (Atriplex lentiformis) and a non-halophyte (Medicago sativa) are able to imbibe water from a saline substrate in a similar manner. The water enables the seeds of both species to mobilise stored growth materials and produce and elongate radicles. When the seedlings try to erect a hypocotyl and spread their cotyledons, the non-halophyte, in a saline medium, becomes flaccid, distorted and dies. The halophyte seedling shows evidence of high salt tolerance in the form of succulence of cotyledons and trichomes on true leaves even before they are visible and goes on to successfully develop a functioning plant. Nevertheless, germination of halophyte seeds is inhibited or severely reduced at salinity levels above 250 mM NaCl and slowed and reduced progressively up to those levels.     

Carry-over of differential salt tolerance in plants grown from dimorphic seeds of Suaeda splendens

Background and Aims

Halophytic species often show seed dimorphism, where seed morphs produced by a single individual may differ in germination characteristics. Particular morphs are adapted to different windows of opportunity for germination in the seasonally fluctuating and heterogeneous salt-marsh environment. The possibility that plants derived from the two morphs may also differ physiologically has not been investigated previously.

Methods

Experiments were designed to investigate the germination characteristics of black and brown seed morphs of Suaeda splendens, an annual, C₄ shrub of non-tidal, saline steppes. The resulting seedlings were transferred to hydroponic culture to investigate their growth and photosynthetic (PSII photochemistry and gas exchange) responses to salinity.

Key Results

Black seeds germinated at low salinity but were particularly sensitive to increasing salt concentrations, and strongly inhibited by light. Brown seeds were unaffected by light, able to germinate at higher salinities and generally germinated more rapidly. Ungerminated black seeds maintained viability for longer than brown ones, particularly at high salinity. Seedlings derived from both seed morphs grew well at high salinity (400 mol m⁻³ NaCl). However, seedlings derived from brown seeds performed poorly at low salinity, as reflected in relative growth rate, numbers of branches produced, F_v/F_m and net rate of CO₂ assimilation.

Conclusions

The seeds most likely to germinate at high salinity in the Mediterranean summer (brown ones) retain a requirement for higher salinity as seedlings that might be of adaptive value. On the other hand, black seeds, which are likely to delay germination until lower salinity prevails, produce seedlings that are less sensitive to salinity. It is not clear why performance at low salinity, later in the life cycle, might have been sacrificed by the brown seeds, to achieve higher fitness at the germination stage under high salinity. Analyses of adaptive syndromes associated with seed dimorphism may need to take account of differences over the entire life cycle, rather than just at the germination stage.Key words: Chlorophyll fluorescence, germination, growth rate, halophyte, photosynthesis, photosystem II, salt tolerance, seed dimorphism, seed viability, Suaeda splendens     

Population ecology of halophyte seeds

Some aspects of the population biology of halophytes are considered in this review. Persistent seed banks have been reported for a number of inland- and coastal-salt marsh plant communities. Seeds of perennial grasses are often under-represented, while annuals and some perennial forbs may be over-represented in the seed bank. The persistent seed bank of annual halophytes appears adaptive, and provides multiple seed germination opportunities which may prevent local extinction when environmental stress increases. Somatic seed polymorphism provides a mechanism by which parent plants can respond to changing environments by partitioning their resources into reproductive units which have distinct germination responses. Parental effects may influence either seed morphology and/or physiological requirements of seeds when they are exposed to environmental stress. A prolonged germination period can provide plant populations with numerous opportunities to establish seedling cohorts. Early cohorts will have a selective advantage under moderate conditions because mortality will be low and plants will survive until maturity. However, fluctuations in salinity levels and tidal activity can cause high mortality in early cohorts in salt marsh habitats, providing later cohorts with an opportunity for establishment. Resource allocation to reproductive structures is related to plant size, which itself can be affected by both abiotic and biotic factors. Larger plants were found to produce more seeds than smaller plants in a population, but the mean seed weight was greater in small plants.     

Dormancy and germination responses of halophyte seeds to the application of ethylene

Ethylene is invariably produced during seed germination but its role in regulating seed dormancy and germination is poorly understood. Seeds of 22 halophytic species having different life forms – salt secreting dicots, salt secreting monocots, stem succulents and leaf succulents were germinated in Petri dishes kept in a growth chamber set at 20/30 °C (night/day) temperature and a 12 hr light period. Sodium chloride and ethephon were added to the medium from the beginning of the experiment. Seed germination was recorded every other day for twenty days. Application of ethylene did not have any significant effect on releasing seeds from innate dormancy. However, it appeared to have a role in alleviation of salinity effects which varied from negative in certain species to almost complete alleviation of high salinity effects in others.Our data indicates that ethylene appears to have little role in breaking innate seed dormancy however, in most halophyte seeds studied, application of ethylene alleviate the salinity effect to various degrees. Halophyte seeds which could germinate under saline conditions approaching twice the salinity of seawater may offer clues to understand management of seed germination under highly saline conditions. To cite this article: M.A. Khan et al., C. R. Biologies 332 (2009).     

Effects of saline‐waterlogging and dryness/moist alternations on seed germination of halophyte and xerophyte

In arid zones, precipitation distribution is extremely uneven, with saline‐waterlogging and dry–moist cycles appearing frequently, which negatively impact on seed germination and seedling establishment. The responses of two halophytes, Suaeda physophora and Haloxylon ammodendron, and a xerophyte, Haloxylon persicum, to saline‐waterlogging and dry–moist cycles were studied. The results showed that aeration increased seed germination for all species when seeds were submerged in NaCl, especially for xerophyte. Compared with S. physophora and H. ammodendron, seed germination, recovery germination, and total germination of H. persicum were much lower when seeds were submerged in 700 mm NaCl, especially for the recovery germination and total germination of nongerminated seeds when the seeds were desiccated and then transferred to distilled water. However, when the seeds were submerged in 700 mm NaCl with aeration, the seed germination, recovery germination, and total germination of nongerminated seeds transferred to distilled water increased dramatically for H. persicum. No adverse effect of desiccation was found on those values of nongerminated seeds pretreated in NaCl with or without aeration for the two halophytes. In conclusion, seeds of the two halophytes were more tolerant to waterlogging and dry–moist cycles than seeds of the xerophyte during emergence under saline conditions; these traits may be important for halophytes to survive extreme saline environments during the seed germination stage.     

Evolution and ecology of seed internal morphology in relation to germination characteristics in Amaranthaceae

Background and AimsInternal seed morphological traits such as embryo characteristics and nutritive tissue can vary considerably within a plant lineage. These traits play a prominent role in germination processes and the success of seedling establishment, and are therefore under high selective pressure, especially in environments hostile to seedlings, such as arid, saline or highly dynamic habitats. We investigated the relationships of seed internal morphology and germination characteristics of 84 species of Amaranthaceae s.l., a family with numerous lineages that have adapted to stressful growing conditions.MethodsWe used seed cross-sections to assess embryo type and the ratios of embryo to seed surface and radicle to cotyledon length. Furthermore, seed mass, mean time to germination, habitat preferences and further plant traits such as C₃ or C₄ photosynthesis and life form were compiled for each species. Data were analysed using phylogenetic comparative methods.Key resultsWe found embryo type (λ = 1), log seed mass (λ = 0.86) and the ratio of embryo to seed size (λ = 0.78) to be evolutionarily stable, with an annular embryo as ancestral in the family. Linked to shifts to the three derived embryos types (spiral, horseshoe-shaped and curved) is an increase in the ratio of root to cotyledon length and a reduction of nutritive tissue. We observed stabilizing selection towards seeds with relatively large embryos with longer radicles and less nutritive tissue that are able to germinate faster, especially in lineages with C₄ photosynthesis and/or salt tolerance.ConclusionsWe conclude that the evolutionary shift of nutrient storage from perisperm to embryo provides an ecological advantage in extreme environments, because it enables faster germination and seedling establishment. Furthermore, the evolutionary shift towards a higher ratio of root to cotyledon length especially in small-seeded Amaranthaceae growing in saline habitats can provide an ecological advantage for fast seedling establishment.