Germination of Amaranthus deflexus L. seeds subjected to different temperature and salt-stress conditions

Abstract

Weeds compete with crops for limiting factors in the environment in which they live; therefore, studies that demonstrate the germination response of seeds subjected to artificial stress are important to understand the survival and adaptation capacities of these species under natural stress conditions. This study proposes to evaluate the effect of salinity and thermal conditions on the germination and vigor of seeds of Amaranthus deflexus L. Two experiments were conducted with sowing in Petri dishes containing two sheets of filter paper moistened with distilled water (control) or NaCl solutions. In experiment 1, a completely randomized experimental design was adopted with a 2 × 6 factorial arrangement consisting of two photoperiods (12 h light and 24 h dark) and six levels of salt stress (0, -0.3, -0.6, -0.9, -1.2, and -1.5 MPa), totaling twelve treatments, with four replications. At the end of the test, the seeds that did not germinate were washed and placed on paper towel substrate, which was moistened with water for hydration and to stimulate the germination process. Experiment 2 was also laid out in a completely randomized design and involved eight treatments (germination at 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 20/30, 25/35, and 30/40 °C) and four replicates each. Salt stress negatively affected the seed vigor of A. deflexus from the stress level of -0.3 MPa. The absence of light compromised seed vigor, regardless of the stress level applied. The final germination percentage and the germination speed index of A. deflexus seeds were superior at the constant temperature of 25 °C and in the alternating regime of 25-35 °C. The multivariate procedure discriminated treatments 1 and 2 as superior in dendrogram A, as well as 4, 5, and 6 in dendrogram B, making it a robust method for inference in factorial experiments on germination behavior.