TY - JOUR
T1 - Impact of Mother Plant Saline Stress on the Agronomical Quality of Pepper Seeds
AU - Pezo, Carolina
AU - Valdebenito, Samuel
AU - Flores, M. Fernanda
AU - OYANEDEL MOYA, EDUARDO ANDRES
AU - Vidal, Kooichi
AU - NEAMAN, ALEXANDER
AU - PEÑALOZA ASPE, PATRICIA MERCEDES
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, Sociedad Chilena de la Ciencia del Suelo.
Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/12
Y1 - 2020/12
N2 - Seed quality has been an important factor in achieving high germination and uniform growth rates in agricultural crops. Meanwhile, pepper plants are moderately sensitive to salt stress at electrical conductivity (EC) in the nutrient solution in the range of 1.2–3.0 dS m−1. We are unaware of any studies regarding the effects of mother plant saline stress on the agronomical quality of pepper seeds. We assessed the effects of three levels of electrical conductivity of the nutrient solution used for mother plant fertigation (2.2, 3.5, and 4.5 dS m−1) on the agronomical quality of pepper seeds (Capsicum annuum L. var. California Wonder). We have analyzed the following seed quality traits: (1) size and weight of seeds and number of seeds per fruit, (2) seed germination and vigor, and (3) chemical composition and histological features of mature seeds. The electrical conductivity treatment of 3.5 dS m−1 caused a statistically significant reduction in the seed size and vigor, as well as partial histological damage to seed endosperm. Moreover, the electrical conductivity treatment of 4.5 dS m−1 caused further reduction in the seed agronomical quality and generalized histological damage to seed endosperm. The electrical conductivity of the nutrient solution used for the fertigation of mother pepper plants should be below 3.5 dS m−1. Future studies should be performed to better gauge the effect of nutrient solutions with electrical conductivity in the range of 2.2–3.5 dS m−1 on the seed quality traits.
AB - Seed quality has been an important factor in achieving high germination and uniform growth rates in agricultural crops. Meanwhile, pepper plants are moderately sensitive to salt stress at electrical conductivity (EC) in the nutrient solution in the range of 1.2–3.0 dS m−1. We are unaware of any studies regarding the effects of mother plant saline stress on the agronomical quality of pepper seeds. We assessed the effects of three levels of electrical conductivity of the nutrient solution used for mother plant fertigation (2.2, 3.5, and 4.5 dS m−1) on the agronomical quality of pepper seeds (Capsicum annuum L. var. California Wonder). We have analyzed the following seed quality traits: (1) size and weight of seeds and number of seeds per fruit, (2) seed germination and vigor, and (3) chemical composition and histological features of mature seeds. The electrical conductivity treatment of 3.5 dS m−1 caused a statistically significant reduction in the seed size and vigor, as well as partial histological damage to seed endosperm. Moreover, the electrical conductivity treatment of 4.5 dS m−1 caused further reduction in the seed agronomical quality and generalized histological damage to seed endosperm. The electrical conductivity of the nutrient solution used for the fertigation of mother pepper plants should be below 3.5 dS m−1. Future studies should be performed to better gauge the effect of nutrient solutions with electrical conductivity in the range of 2.2–3.5 dS m−1 on the seed quality traits.
KW - Chili
KW - Chilli
KW - Germination
KW - Salinity
KW - Salt stress
KW - Seed vigor
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85089551161&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s42729-020-00325-8
DO - 10.1007/s42729-020-00325-8
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85089551161
VL - 20
SP - 2600
EP - 2605
JO - Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition
JF - Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition
SN - 0718-9516
IS - 4
ER -