Seed‐Source Precipitation Drives Drought Acclimatization of Reaumuria songarica: Implications for Seed Germination and Seedling Growth in the HeHuang Valley

ABSTRACT Reaumuria songarica is a key dominant species in the desert regions of northern China. The selection of appropriate seed source and the determination of optimal seed harvesting times are critical for the development and utilization of its germplasm resources. In this study, nine R. songaric...

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Main Authors: XinYou Wang, Lijun Zhang, Zhengshegn Li, Yanlong Wang, Ying Liu, YuShou Ma
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-08-01
Series:Ecology and Evolution
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.72010
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author XinYou Wang
Lijun Zhang
Zhengshegn Li
Yanlong Wang
Ying Liu
YuShou Ma
author_facet XinYou Wang
Lijun Zhang
Zhengshegn Li
Yanlong Wang
Ying Liu
YuShou Ma
author_sort XinYou Wang
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Reaumuria songarica is a key dominant species in the desert regions of northern China. The selection of appropriate seed source and the determination of optimal seed harvesting times are critical for the development and utilization of its germplasm resources. In this study, nine R. songarica habitats with varying precipitation levels were identified in the HeHuang Valley. We determined the optimal seed harvesting period and evaluated seed traits, germination characteristics, and initial seedling growth at this optimal period harvest time. The results indicated that the optimal harvesting window for R. songarica seeds is between 60 and 100 days after flowering, depending on the precipitation of the seed source area. Species origin accounted for the largest variation in seed germination characteristics and seedling growth, with the highest coefficient of variation observed in the vitality index (28.44%) and the lowest in seed viability (3.78%). In the standard germination test, seed germination was primarily influenced by 1000‐seed weight and seed viability, while seedling growth was mainly affected by seed electrical conductivity. Seed drought germination resistance was most influenced by seed biofilm integrity and seed size. In conclusion, high‐quality, drought‐tolerant R. songarica germplasm can be obtained by selecting drought‐prone seed source areas in the HeHuang Valley and harvesting seeds between 90 and 100 days after flowering. These findings underscore the critical role of precipitation at the seed source in shaping seed and seedling traits, providing valuable guidance for the future development and utilization of R. songarica germplasm resources.
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publishDate 2025-08-01
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series Ecology and Evolution
spelling doaj-art-c9bd1f2faf9940f3ba047781e21de7d22025-08-25T05:56:39ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582025-08-01158n/an/a10.1002/ece3.72010Seed‐Source Precipitation Drives Drought Acclimatization of Reaumuria songarica: Implications for Seed Germination and Seedling Growth in the HeHuang ValleyXinYou Wang0Lijun Zhang1Zhengshegn Li2Yanlong Wang3Ying Liu4YuShou Ma5Qinghai Academy of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Adaptive Management on Alpine Grassland, Key Laboratory of Superior Forage Germplasm in the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau Qinghai University Xining Qinghai ChinaQinghai Academy of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Adaptive Management on Alpine Grassland, Key Laboratory of Superior Forage Germplasm in the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau Qinghai University Xining Qinghai ChinaCollege of Bioligical Sciences and Technology Yili Normal University Xinjiang ChinaQinghai Academy of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Adaptive Management on Alpine Grassland, Key Laboratory of Superior Forage Germplasm in the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau Qinghai University Xining Qinghai ChinaQinghai Academy of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Adaptive Management on Alpine Grassland, Key Laboratory of Superior Forage Germplasm in the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau Qinghai University Xining Qinghai ChinaQinghai Academy of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Adaptive Management on Alpine Grassland, Key Laboratory of Superior Forage Germplasm in the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau Qinghai University Xining Qinghai ChinaABSTRACT Reaumuria songarica is a key dominant species in the desert regions of northern China. The selection of appropriate seed source and the determination of optimal seed harvesting times are critical for the development and utilization of its germplasm resources. In this study, nine R. songarica habitats with varying precipitation levels were identified in the HeHuang Valley. We determined the optimal seed harvesting period and evaluated seed traits, germination characteristics, and initial seedling growth at this optimal period harvest time. The results indicated that the optimal harvesting window for R. songarica seeds is between 60 and 100 days after flowering, depending on the precipitation of the seed source area. Species origin accounted for the largest variation in seed germination characteristics and seedling growth, with the highest coefficient of variation observed in the vitality index (28.44%) and the lowest in seed viability (3.78%). In the standard germination test, seed germination was primarily influenced by 1000‐seed weight and seed viability, while seedling growth was mainly affected by seed electrical conductivity. Seed drought germination resistance was most influenced by seed biofilm integrity and seed size. In conclusion, high‐quality, drought‐tolerant R. songarica germplasm can be obtained by selecting drought‐prone seed source areas in the HeHuang Valley and harvesting seeds between 90 and 100 days after flowering. These findings underscore the critical role of precipitation at the seed source in shaping seed and seedling traits, providing valuable guidance for the future development and utilization of R. songarica germplasm resources.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.72010HeHuang Valleyoptimal seed harvesting periodReaumuria songaricaseed germination characteristicsseed traitseedling growth state
spellingShingle XinYou Wang
Lijun Zhang
Zhengshegn Li
Yanlong Wang
Ying Liu
YuShou Ma
Seed‐Source Precipitation Drives Drought Acclimatization of Reaumuria songarica: Implications for Seed Germination and Seedling Growth in the HeHuang Valley
Ecology and Evolution
HeHuang Valley
optimal seed harvesting period
Reaumuria songarica
seed germination characteristics
seed trait
seedling growth state
title Seed‐Source Precipitation Drives Drought Acclimatization of Reaumuria songarica: Implications for Seed Germination and Seedling Growth in the HeHuang Valley
title_full Seed‐Source Precipitation Drives Drought Acclimatization of Reaumuria songarica: Implications for Seed Germination and Seedling Growth in the HeHuang Valley
title_fullStr Seed‐Source Precipitation Drives Drought Acclimatization of Reaumuria songarica: Implications for Seed Germination and Seedling Growth in the HeHuang Valley
title_full_unstemmed Seed‐Source Precipitation Drives Drought Acclimatization of Reaumuria songarica: Implications for Seed Germination and Seedling Growth in the HeHuang Valley
title_short Seed‐Source Precipitation Drives Drought Acclimatization of Reaumuria songarica: Implications for Seed Germination and Seedling Growth in the HeHuang Valley
title_sort seed source precipitation drives drought acclimatization of reaumuria songarica implications for seed germination and seedling growth in the hehuang valley
topic HeHuang Valley
optimal seed harvesting period
Reaumuria songarica
seed germination characteristics
seed trait
seedling growth state
url https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.72010
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