Nutrient seed priming improves abiotic stress tolerance in Zea mays L. and Glycine max L.

193 Pages·2014·54.83 MB·English

Institute of Crop Science, Nutritional Crop Physiology
University of Hohenheim
Prof. Dr. Günter Neumann

Nutrient seed priming improves abiotic stress tolerance in
Zea mays L. and Glycine max L.

Dissertation

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirement of the degree “ Doktor der
Agrarwissenschaften”
(Dr. sc. agr. /Ph.D. in Agricultural Sciences)

to the
Faculty of Agriculture Sciences

Presented by

Muhammad Imran
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This thesis was accepted as a doctoral dissertation in fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree “ Doktor der Agrarwissenscheften” (Dr. sc.
Agr. / Ph.D in Agricultural Science) by the Faculty of Agricultural
Sciences of the University of Hohenheim.

Date of Examination: 14.02.2013

Examination Committee

Dean and Head of the Committee: Prof. Dr. R. Mosenthin
Supervisor and Reviewer: Prof. Dr. Günter Neumann
Co- Reviewer: Prof. Dr. Michael Kruse
Co-Examiner: Prof. Dr. Uwe Ludewig
Dedicated
to
My loving mother and father
Eidesstattliche Erklärung

Ich erkläre hiermit an Eides statt, dass ich die vorliegende Dissertation
selbständig angefertigt, nur die angegebenen Quellen und Hilfsmittel
benutzt und inhaltlich oder wörtlich übernommene Stellen als solche
gekennzeichnet habe. Ich boch noch keinen weiteren Promotionsversuch
unternommen.

DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY

I declare that this thesis is description of my own research and this work
has not previously been submitted for the doctoral degree at any other
institution.

Stuttgart, den Muhammad Imran
Table of Contents

Summary……………….…………………………..………….………...……1

Zusammenfassung……………………….…….…………...……………….3

General introduction……………………………….…………………….…..6

Impact of nutrient seed priming on germination, seedling development,
nutritional status and grain yield of maize
..............................................................................................................46

Nutrient seed priming improves seedling development and increases
grain yield of maize exposed to low root zone temperatures during early
growth
..............................................................................................................70

Accumulation and distribution of Zn and Mn in soybean seeds after
nutrient seed priming and its contribution to plant growth under Zn and
Mn deficient conditions
………………………………………………………………………..……...94

General discussion…………………….………………………………….118

References………………………….……………………………….…….141

Curriculum vitae………………..…………………………………………179

Acknowledgements...…………………………………………………….183
List of Figures

Page
Figure Title
No.
2.1 Schematic diagram of normal germination and seed priming 8
process.

2.2 Time course of major events associated with germination and 9
subsequent post germination growth (Bewley, 1997).

2.3 A conceptual diagram depicting relationships between plant and 13
soil temperature for nutrient uptake. Soil temperature affects
nutrient uptake directly by altering root growth, morphology and
uptake kinetics. Indirect effects include altered rates of
decomposition and nutrient mineralization, mineral weathering and
nutrient transport processes (mass flow and diffusion).

2.4 Schematic diagram of the pore system of the apparent space. 17
DFS= Donan free space, WFS = water free space.

2.5 Primary effects of a short chill in the light and the dark on 20
photosynthesis in thermophilic plants.

2.6 Effect of high and low seed P reserves on shoot and root biomass 41
accumulation in wheat.

3.1 Effect of water priming for different time periods on germination rate 54
(a) and seedling growth (b) of maize. Data points represent means
and SE of 4 replicates. Different characters indicate significant
differences between treatments.

3.2 Shoot (a) and root (b) dry biomass of maize plants, grown in 56
nutrient solution after nutrient seed priming with sequential harvests
at 2, 3 and 4 weeks after sowing. Data represent means and SE of
4 replicates at each harvest. Different characters indicate
significant differences between treatments.

3.3 Nutrient concentrations in shoots of maize plants, grown in nutrient 57
solution after nutrient seed priming with sequential harvests at 2, 3
and 4 weeks after sowing. Data represent means and SE of 4
replicates at each harvest. Different characters indicate significant
differences between treatments.

3.4 Nutrient concentrations in shoots of maize plants, grown in nutrient 58
solution after nutrient seed priming with sequential harvests at 2, 3
and 4 weeks after sowing. Data represent means and SE of 4
replicates at each harvest. Different characters indicate significant
differences between treatments.
Page
Figure Title
No.
3.5 Shoot (a) and root (b) dry biomass of 4 weeks old maize plants 60
grown in soil culture after nutrient seed priming. Data represent
means and SE of 4 replicates. Different characters indicate
significant differences between treatments.

3.6 Minimum and maximum temperature at research farm (°C) 68
recorded in April-May, 2010.

4.1 Five weeks old maize plants grown in nutrient solution under low 82
RZT stress.

4.2 Roots of maize plants grown along the root windows in rhizo-boxes 83
after 3 weeks of low RZT stress.

4.3 Root lengths of maize plant roots grown along the root windows 85
after 1 and 3 weeks of low RZT stress. Data represent means and
SE of 4 replicates. Different characters indicate significant
differences between treatments.

4.4 Minimum temperature in Hohenheim (°C) recorded in April-May, 86
2010 and 2011.

4.5 Shoot fresh and dry biomass of maize plants harvested in the field 88
5 weeks after sowing (year 2011). Data represent means and SE of
4 replicates. Different characters indicate significant differences
between treatments.

5.1 (a) Radical emergence of soybean seeds, water primed between 103
layers of moist filter paper for different time duration. Data points
represent means of 4 replicates. (b) Abnormal seedlings in the
germination test after water priming with different methods and time
durations. Bars show means and SE of 4 replicates. Different
characters indicate significant differences between treatments.

5.2 Soybean seedlings grown for 7 days on peat culture substrate after 104
water priming with different methods and priming durations. AC-
Method = volume of priming solution according to water absorption
capacity of seeds; FP-Method = priming between moist filter paper;
SP-Method = submerged priming.

5.3 (a) Shoot and (b) root dry biomass production of 5 weeks old 107
soybean plants grown in nutrient solution. Bars show means and
standard errors of four replicates. Significant differences (Duncan's
Multiple Range Test, p= 0.05) are indicated by different characters.
(NS = Nutrient solution; WP = water priming; NS – Zn = nutrient
solution without Zn; NS – Mn = nutrient solution without Mn; NS –
(Zn+Mn) = nutrient solution without Zn and Mn).

5.4 Shoot Zn and Mn (a) concentrations and (b) contents in 5 weeks 108
old soybean plants grown in nutrient solution. Deficiency thresholds
for Zn and Mn are marked by horizontal lines..Bars show means
and standard errors of four replicates.
Page
Figure Title
No.
5.5 (a) Shoot and (b) root dry biomass of 5 weeks old soybean plants 110
grown in soil culture. Deficiency thresholds for Zn and Mn are
marked by horizontal lines..Bars show means and standard errors
of four replicates. Significant differences (Duncan's Multiple Range
Test., p= 0.05) are indicated by different characters.
5.6 Shoot Zn and Mn (a) concentrations and (b) contents in 5 weeks 111
old soybean plants grown in soil culture. A line across the bars
indicates critical deficient levels of Zn and Mn. Deficiency
thresholds for Zn and Mn are marked by horizontal lines. Bars
show means and standard errors of four replicates. Significant
differences (Duncan's Multiple Range Test., p= 0.05) are indicated
by different characters.

6.1 Effect of B seed priming on 2 weeks old wheat seedlings grown 128
under salt stress (8dSm-1).

6.2 Effect of B seed priming on root growth of 4 weeks old wheat 128
seedlings grown under salt stress (8dSm-1).

6.3 Effect of B seed priming on shoot and root fresh biomass of 4 129
weeks old wheat plants grown under salt stress (8 dSm-1). Bars
show the means and SE of 4 replicates. Different characters show
the significant differences between the treatments.

6.4 Effect of nutrient seed priming on stomatal conductance (left) and 133
leaf area (right) of 1st fully developed leaf of 5 weeks old maize
plants grown in nutrient solution at low root zone temperature (10°C
for water, Fe and Zn). Bars represent the means and SE of 4
replicates. Different characters show the significant differences
between the treatments.

6.5 Effect of nutrient seed priming on rate of photosynthesis (left) and 133
net photosynthesis (right) in 1st fully developed leaf of 5 weeks old
maize plants grown in nutrient solution at low root zone
temperature (10°C for water, Fe and Zn). Bars represent the means
and SE of 4 replicates. Different characters show the significant
differences between the treatments.

6.6 Effect of nutrient seed priming on shoot Zn concentration of 4 134
weeks old wheat plants grown under salt stress (8dSm-1). Bars
show the means and SE of 4 replicates. Different characters show
the significant differences between the treatments.

6.7 Effect of P and micronutrients (Zn, Mn and B) seed priming on 139
shoot growth of 4 weeks old soybean plants.
List of table

Page
Table Title
No.
2.1 Effect of high and low seed P (HSP and LSP) reserves and P 41
fertilization on P accumulation in shoot and whole wheat plant.

3.1 Concentrations and salts used for maize nutrient seed priming 51
treatments.

3.2 Mineral nutrient contents of maize seeds after nutrient seed 55
priming. Data represent means of 4 replicates. Different characters
indicate significant differences between treatments.

3.3 Nutrient concentrations and contents in young leaves and the 61
remaining shoot of maize plants grown in soil culture. Data
represent means of 4 replicates +SE. Different characters indicate
significant differences between treatments in similar shoot portion.

3.4 Final grain yield of maize grown (kg ha-1). Data represent means 62
+SE of 4 replicates. Different characters indicate significant
difference between treatments.

4.1 Seed mineral nutrient concentrations and contents after nutrient 76
seed priming. Data represent means and SE of 4 replicates.
Different characters indicate significant differences between
treatments.

4.2 Seed priming treatments and root zone temperature regimes of 8 0
maize seedlings grown in nutrient solution and rhizo-boxes.

4.3 Fresh shoot and root biomass, and root/shoot ratio of maize plants 81
grown in nutrient solution and rhizo-boxes after nutrient seed
priming. Data represent means and SE of 4 replicates. Different
characters indicate significant differences between treatments.

4.4 Total root lengths (cm plant-1) and root lengths in different diameter 84
lasses of maize plants grown in nutrient solution and rhizo-boxes
after nutrient seed priming. Data represent means and SE of 4
replicates. Different characters indicate significant differences
between treatments.

4.5 Shoot mineral concentrations of maize plants grown in nutrient 87
solution and rhizo-boxes under low RZT stress. Data represent
means and SE of 4 replicates. Different characters indicate
significant differences between treatments.

4.6 Shoot mineral contents of maize plants grown in nutrient solution
and rhizo-boxes under low RZT stress. Data represent means and
SE of 4 replicates. Different characters indicate significant
differences between treatments.
87
Page
Table Title
No.
4.7 Shoot mineral concentrations and contents of maize plants grown 89
in the field for 5 weeks. Data represent means of 4 replicates and
SE Different characters indicate significant differences between
treatments.

4.8 Final grain yields of maize grown in the field (2010-2011). Data 89
represent means and SE of 4 replicates. Different characters
indicate significant differences between treatments.

5.1 Zinc and manganese contents in complete soybean seeds after 100
nutrient seed priming. Data represent means and SE of 4
replicates. Different characters indicate significant differences
between priming treatments.

5.2 Effect of seed priming with different Zn and Mn concentrations on 103
abnormal seedling development. Data represent means and
standard errors of four replicates. Significant differences (Duncan's
Multiple Range Test, p= 0.05) are indicated by different characters.

5.3 Distribution of Zn and Mn in soybean seeds after nutrient seed 104
priming. Data represent means and standard errors of four
replicates. Column values followed by different letter are
significantly different by Duncan's Multiple Range Test, p= 0.05).

6.1 Effect of nutrient seed priming on total phenolic compounds and 136
proline in the roots of 4 weeks old maize plants grown in soil culture
at low zone temperature (10°C for water, Fe and Zn+Mn
treatments). Data represents the means and SE of 4 replicates.
Different chracters show the significant differences between the
treatments.