Effect of appendages on maintenance of viability and germination of diaspores of the shrubs Calligonum junceum, Atraphaxis pungens, and Reaumuria soongarica

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of appendages on the maintenance of viability and germination of the diaspores of the three shrubs Calligonum junceum (Fisch. et Mey.) Litv., Atraphaxis pungens (Bieb.) Jaub. et Spach. and Reaumuria soongarica (Pall.) Maxim. that have high potential for restoration of degraded temperate arid regions. It has been hypothesized that appendages on diaspores of A. pungens, C. junceum, and R. soongarica help maintain seed viability during dry storage at room temperatures and during moist storage in soil outdoors, but they inhibit seed germination. Fresh diaspores of each species were tested for germination; and diaspores with and without appendages were stored in moist soil outdoors in Xinjiang Province of northwest China; and dry diaspores at room condition for 4 months. Viability and percentage of diaspores with and without appendages that germinated during burial were determined. After burial or dry storage, diaspores with and without appendages were tested for germination. Regardless of storage condition, appendages had no effect on diaspore viability of C. junceum and A. pungens but significantly reduced mortality of R. soongarica diaspores by 50%. During burial outdoors, appendages inhibited germination of C. junceum diaspores but not of A. pungens; no diaspores of R. soongarica germinated. After burial, appendages inhibited germination of A. pungens diaspores but had no effect on C. junceum. Appendages had no effect on germination of R. soongarica diaspores after storage in both locations. To use these three species for revegetation, it is recommended that appendages should be removed from diaspores of C. junceum and A. pungens before storage and sowing, but appendages should be retained on seeds of R. soongarica.

Keywords:

• Diaspore appendages
• revegetation
• seed dormancy
• seed germination
• seed storage
• seed viability
• shrubs
• storage condition

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Li Bo for the identification of Atraphaxis pungens, and Lv Zhao-Zhi for help with data analysis. For assistance with seed collection and data analysis, we thank Qing Hui Liu, Ming Yuan Li, DeLong Wu, and Paruzha Halimulati.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Key project for College and University of Xinjiang [grant number XJEDU2019I020] and National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 42067068].