Similar articles

Abstract: low temperature stress during germination and early seedling growth is an important constraint of global production of maize. The effects of seed priming with 0.25%, 0.50%, and 0.75% (w/v) chitosan solutions at 15 °C on the growth and physiological changes were investigated using two maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines, HuangC (chilling-tolerant) and Mo17 (chilling-sensitive). While seed priming with chitosan had no significant effect on germination percentage under low temperature stress, it enhanced germination index, reduced the mean germination time (MGT), and increased shoot height, root length, and shoot and root dry weights in both maize lines. The decline of malondialdehyde (MDA) content and relative permeability of the plasma membrane and the increase of the concentrations of soluble sugars and proline, peroxidase (POD) activity, and catalase (CAT) activity were detected both in the chilling-sensitive and chilling-tolerant maize seedlings after priming with the three concentrations of chitosan. HuangC was less sensitive to responding to different concentrations of chitosan. Priming with 0.50% chitosan for about 60~64 h seemed to have the best effects. Thus, it suggests that seed priming with chitosan may improve the speed of germination of maize seed and benefit for seedling growth under low temperature stress.

[1] Adegbuyi, E., Cooper, S.R., Don, R., 1981. Osmotic priming of some herbage grass seed using polyethylene glycol (PEG). Seed Science and Techology, 9(3):867-878.

[2] Cheah, L.H., Page, B.B.C., Shepherd, R., 1997. Chitosan coating for inhibition of sclerotinia rot of carrots. New Zealand Journal of Crop Horticultural Science, 25(1): 89-92.

[3] Feng, Z.Z., Guo, A.H., Feng, Z.W., 2003. Amelioration of chilling stress by triadimefon in cucumber seedlings. Plant Growth Regulation, 39(3):277-283.

[4] Fu, J., Huang, B., 2001. Involvement of antioxidants and lipid peroxidation in the adaptation of two cool-season grasses to localized drought stress. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 45(2):105-114.

[5] Gao, C.H., Hu, J., Zheng, Y.Y., Zhang, S., 2006. Antioxidant enzyme activities and proline content in maize seedling and their relationships to cold endurance. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology, 17(6):1045-1050 (in Chinese).

[6] Hu, J., Zhu, Z.Y., Song, W.J., Wang, J.C., Hu, W.M., 2005. Effects of sand priming on germination and field performance in direct-sown rice (Oryza sativa L.). Seed Science and Technology, 33(1):243-248.

[7] Hu, J., Xie, X.J., Wang, Z.F., Song, W.J., 2006. Sand priming improves germination and growth of alfalfa under high-salt concentration stress. Seed Science and Technology, 34(1):199-204.

[8] Kaya, M., Kaya, G., Kaya, M.D., Atak, M., Saglam, S., Khawar, K.M., Ciftci, C.Y., 2008. Interaction between seed size and NaCl on germination and early seedling growth of some Turkish cultivars of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). Journal of Zhejiang University SCIENCE B, 9(5):371-377.

[9] Khan, A.A., 1992. Preplant physiological seed conditioning. Horticultural Reviews, 13(13):131-181.

[10] Li, H.S., 2001. Principles and Techniques of Plant Physiological Biochemical Experiment. Higher Education Press, Beijing, p.278 (in Chinese).

[11] Li, L.Q., Hu, J., Zhu, Z.Y., Nkeshimana, J., 2004. The effects of seed film coating with cold-tolerant agents on physiology and biochemistry changes of supersweet corn in low temperature stress. Journal of Zhejiang University (Agriculture and Life Science), 30(9):311-317 (in Chinese).

[12] Lin, J.M., Sung, J.M., 2001. Pre-sowing treatments for improving emergence of bitter gourd seedlings under optimal and sub-optimal temperatures. Seed Science and Technology, 29(1):39-50.

[13] Lukatkin, A.S., 2003. Contribution of oxidative stress to the development of cold-induced damage to leaves of chilling-sensitive plants: 3. Injury of cell membranes by chilling temperatures. Russian Journal of Plant Physiology, 50(2):243-246.

[14] McDonald, M.B., 1999. Seed deterioration: physiology, repair and assessment. Seed Science and Technology, 27(1): 177-237.

[15] Meloni, D.A., Oliva, M.A., Martinez, C.A., Cambraia, J., 2003. Photosynthesis and activity of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and glutathione reductase in cotton under salt stress. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 49(1): 69-76.

[16] Parera, C.A., Cantliffe, D.J., 1994. Presowing seed priming. Horticultural Reviews, 16(16):109-141.

[17] Rathinasabapathi, B., 2000. Metabolic engineering for stress tolerance: installing osmoprotectant synthesis pathways. Annals of Botany, 86(4):709-716.

[18] Reddy, M.V.B., Arul, J., Angers, P., Couture, L., 1999. Chitosan treatment of wheat seeds induces resistance to Fusarium graminearum and improves seeds quality. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 47(3):67-72.

[19] Ruan, S.L., Xue, Q.Z., 2002. Effects of chitosan coating on seed germination and salt-tolerance of seedlings in hybrid rice (Oryza sativa L.). Acta Agronomica Sinica, 28(6): 803-808 (in Chinese).

[20] Shao, C.X., Hu, J., Song, W.J., Hu, W.M., 2005. Effects of seed priming with chitosan solutions of different acidity on seed germination and physiological characteristics of maize seedling. Journal of Zhejiang University (Agriculture and Life Science), 31(6):705-708 (in Chinese).

[21] Watanabe, S., Kojima, K., Ide, Y., Satohiko Sasaki, S., 2000. Effects of saline and osmotic stress on proline and sugar accumulation in Populus euphratica in vitro. Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture, 63(3):199-206.

[22] Wise, R., 1995. Chilling-enhanced photooxidation: the production, action and study of reactive oxygen species produced during chilling in the light. Photosynthesis Research, 45(2):79-97.

[23] Zhang, S., Hu, J., Zhang, Y., Xie, X.J., Allen, K., 2007. Seed priming with brassinolide improves lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) seed germination and seedling growth in relation to physiological changes under salinity stress. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 58(8):811-815.

[24] Zheng, Y.Y., Hu, J., Zhang, S., Gao, C.H., Song, W.J., 2006. Identification of chilling-tolerance in maize inbred lines at germination and seedling growth stages. Journal of Zhejiang University (Agriculture and Life Science), 32(1):41-45 (in Chinese).

[25] Zhou, W.J., Leul, M., 1998. Uniconazole-induced alleviation of freezing injury in relation to changes in hormonal balance, enzyme activities and lipid peroxidation in winter rape. Plant Growth Regulation, 26(1):41-47.

[26] Zhou, Y.G., Yang, Y.D., Qi, Y.G., Zhang, Z.M., Wang, X.J., Hu, X.J., 2002. Effects of chitosan on some physiological activity in germinating seed of peanut. Journal of Peanut Science, 31(1):22-25 (in Chinese).

[27] Zhu, G., Zhong, W., 1990. Plant Physiological Experiment., Peking University Press, Beijing, p.377 (in Chinese).