Seed Shattering And Germination Characteristics Of Elymus Nutans In Different Elevations

Elymus nutans is an important forage grass distributed in the Northwestern and Northern China. It is the wild allied of Hordeum. The species is highly resistance to stress environment and with high forage value. However, the E. nutans has a unfavorable characteristic ie. seed shattering, that could cause serious loss in seed production. In addition, the research of optimum temperature for germination in this species has not been reported. Therefore, the shattering characteristic of E. nutans in different elevations grown from the original habitats and from the same regions were studied in order to understand the relationship between the seed shattering and the different elevations. Meanwhile, the temperature threshold of seed germination for this species was also studied in this paper. The following main results were obtained:1. The seed shattering rate of E. nutans in different elevations were significant difference (P<0.05). For instance, in seed physiology maturity period, the shattering rate of elevation 2650m and elevation 3850m were 44% and 38%, significant highter than 27% of elevation 3050m and 32% of elevation 3450m.2. The time of different elevations seeds physiology maturity and 1000-grain weight were different. But their germination rate and moisture content were no significant difference when they rearched the physiological mature, and their average were respectively 93% and 40%.3. In the 8 temperature treatments, the seeds could germinate within 5 to 35℃, and germination was inhibited at 40℃, and the germination percentage of them could reach the maximum whthin 3 days. We consider that the temperature which are suitable for inspectioning of E. nutans are 20℃,25℃and 30℃, and the appropriate statistical time of the first time and the last time are the 3rd day and the 11th day.4. The base temperature (Tb), optimum temperature (To) and ceiling temperature (Tc) of different Elymus nutans species germination had no significant differences (P >0.05), their average were 4℃,24℃and 38℃.