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- Title
Plastic film mulching improves seed germination, seedling development and potential for perenniality of Vicia unijuga under subalpine climate conditions.
- Authors
Tang, Wei; Baskin, Carol C.; Baskin, Jerry M.; Nan, Zhibiao
- Abstract
Our aim was to identify temperature and moisture modifications needed for improvement of seed germination, growth and establishment of the protein-rich forage legume Vicia unijuga A.Br. so that it could become large enough and store sufficient root reserves to survive in subalpine conditions. Germination tolerance of scarified V. unijuga seeds to various temperatures and water potentials was tested in the laboratory, and a 3-year field experiment was conducted in the subalpine region of China to evaluate the effects of modified soil temperature and moisture conditions generated by mulching with plastic film and barley straw on seedling emergence, growth, root nutrient reserves and subsequent overwinter performance. The highest germination percentage and rate occurred at the optimum temperature of 15–20°C, which improved these germination traits at low water potentials between –0.6 and –1.0 MPa. Higher soil temperature and water content were recorded in the plastic mulch treatment than in the control and straw mulch treatments. This enhanced establishment and accumulation of biomass and root reserve pools in the plastic mulch treatment, with nearly 100% of the plants surviving overwinter. The relative contribution of soil temperature was greater than of soil-water content to the variation in biomass and root nutrient reserves. Root starch content explained the most variation in overwinter survival. In conclusion, scarified V. unijuga seeds can germinate over a wide range of conditions, including those in the subalpine zone in spring. The plastic mulch treatment provided adequate soil temperature and water resources to improve growth and root starch reserves in first-year plants of V. unijuga , thereby improving overwinter survival in the subalpine environment. Scarified Vicia unijuga seeds can germinate over a wide range of conditions, including those in the harsh subalpine zone in spring. Mulching with plastic film increased root nitrogen and starch reserves in first-year plants of V. unijuga , thereby improving overwinter survival and perenniality of this forage legume in the subalpine environment. Applying plastic mulching could reduce the need for re-seeding with further direct and indirect costs and labour for farmers, and enhance productivity in the second year.
- Subjects
CHINA; PLASTIC mulching; GERMINATION; PLASTIC films; VETCH; SUBALPINE zone; SOIL moisture
- Publication
Crop & Pasture Science, 2020, Vol 71, Issue 6, p592
- ISSN
1836-0947
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1071/CP19502