Track 1-05: Advances in Seed Science, Technology and Production

Description

A semi-permeable layer of the seed coat exists in many species which allows controlled water uptake and gas ex-change, while preventing solute transport (Beresniewicz et al. 1995). This layer could act as a barrier to apoplastic permeability and radicle emergence (Salanenka et al. 2009). It could also restrict the tetrazolium viability test and the electrical conductivity vigour test applied to evaluate seed quality (Yan and Wang 2008; Zhou and Wang 2012). An earlier study reported that semi-permeable layers exist in grass species, but recently research has shown that the layer was not found in seeds of oat (He 2011) or tall fescue (Yan 2008). This paper reports the location and chemical composition of a semi-permeable layer and its relationship to the electrical conductivity vigour tests in seeds of Elymus nutans, an important forage grass species widely distributed in Northwestern alpine grasslands China.

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Characterization of the Semi-Permeable Layer in Seed of Elymus nutans

A semi-permeable layer of the seed coat exists in many species which allows controlled water uptake and gas ex-change, while preventing solute transport (Beresniewicz et al. 1995). This layer could act as a barrier to apoplastic permeability and radicle emergence (Salanenka et al. 2009). It could also restrict the tetrazolium viability test and the electrical conductivity vigour test applied to evaluate seed quality (Yan and Wang 2008; Zhou and Wang 2012). An earlier study reported that semi-permeable layers exist in grass species, but recently research has shown that the layer was not found in seeds of oat (He 2011) or tall fescue (Yan 2008). This paper reports the location and chemical composition of a semi-permeable layer and its relationship to the electrical conductivity vigour tests in seeds of Elymus nutans, an important forage grass species widely distributed in Northwestern alpine grasslands China.