Rapid Evaluation of Germinability of Primed China Aster (Callistephus Chinensis Ness.) Seeds with Physiological and Biochemical Markers

Abstract

The correlation between the sowing value of primed China aster seeds represented by germination percentage (GP), mean germination time (MGT), germination uniformity expressed as the time between 25% and 75% of germinated seeds (T75-25) and some selected physiological characteristics - total activity of dehydrogenases (TAD), activity of catalase (AC), activity of cell cycle (ACC) and electrolyte leakage (EL) has been analysed in order to find useful markers of biological quality of seeds. To achieve this objective, analyses of effects of three methods of water supply to seeds viz. - hydroconditioning by soaking in excessive amount of water (M1), hydroconditioning by soaking in limited amount of water (M2) or hydroconditioning by contact with solid carrier of water - matriconditioning (M3), three levels (30.0, 35.0 and 40.0%) of seed moisture content (m.c.) and three incubation periods (1, 8 and 10 days) during priming and hence their influence on germination properties (GP, MGT, T75-25) in comparison with TAD, AC, ACC and EL were determined. The results showed that MGT and T75-25 were correlated with TAD, AC, ACC and EL, irrespective of their priming method and sowing value. Therefore, all the investigated physiological/biochemical parameters of seed quality can be used as markers of germinability and sowing value reached by primed China aster seeds. The results also proved that, irrespective of the water supply method applied, hydration of seeds up to 37.5% m.c., and their incubation at 20 °C for 8 days, followed by drying to their initial moisture content, increased to the greatest extent the speed and uniformity of seed germination and their physiological activity.

The Effect of Mineral-Based Mixtures Containing Coal Fly Ash and Sewage Sludge on Chlorophyll Fluorescence and Selected Morphological Parameters of Deciduous and Coniferous Trees

“…According to Romanowska-Duda et al [79], measurements of the maximum potential quantum efficiency of PSII are useful in evaluations of the physiological activity of plants and can be recommended as markers of plant development. Similar observations were made by Badek et al [104,105] in a study of tomatoes and China asters and by Romanowska-Duda et al [106] who reported on the stimulatory effect of sewage sludge on the biomass yield of energy crops.…”

Positive impact of bio-stimulators on growth and physiological activity of willow in climate change conditions

“…The tests used to assess plant physiological activity are commonly recognized as useful markers of metabolic activity and plant responses to external stimuli (Badek et al, 2014).…”

Maximal Efficiency of PSII as a Marker of Sorghum Development Fertilized With Waste From a Biomass Biodigestion to Methane

“…In the performed research, the used maximal PSII efficiency measurements were comparable to activity of several enzymes (acid and alkaline phosphatase, RNase, dehydrogenase), index of chlorophyll content and gas exchange in leaves (net photosynthesis, transpiration, stomatal conductance and intercellular CO 2 concentration), which were useful in assessment of physiological activity in plants and were recommended to be a markers of plant development. It was shown in research on China aster and tomato (Badek et al, 2014, 2016) and in studies showing stimulatory impact of algae on Virginia fanpetals, corn and willow growth and biostimulants on apple seed germination (Grzesik et al, 2009; Grzesik and Romanowska-Duda, 2014, 2015; Grzesik et al, 2015; Grzesik et al, 2017a,b) and sewage sludge on energy plants biomass yield (Romanowska-Duda et al, 2010). It is believed that maximum PSII efficiency measurement can be used to monitor parameters that depend on the content and activity of chlorophyll, and thus it can be an indicator of plant growth, gas exchange, activity of certain enzymes, biomass yield and the amounts of elements which depends on the functioning photosynthetic apparatus.…”