EffEcts of Abiotic strEss on sEEd GErminAtion And root Growth of AchyrAnthes BidentAtA

Duan, H. Y., X. S. Ding, J. Y. Song, and Y. Q. ZHou, 2014. Effects of abiotic stress on seed germination and root growth of Achyranthes bidentata. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 20: 342-347 compared with the control, seed germination and root growth of Achyranthes bidentata were obviously inhibited by naCl, especially seeds stressed with 250mmol/L naCl colud not germinate. However, germination rate and root length of Achyranthes bidentata under drought condition were significantly higher than the controls, germination rate under moderately low temperature condition also enhanced and yet root growth was evidently inhibited. Similarly, seed germination was also promoted by streptomycin which yet restrained root growth of Achyranthes bidentata, but germination rate which was higher than the controls reduced along with increase of streptomycin concentration. in addition, under low temperature and streptomycin stress, shape of some cells and the intercellular space in root tip of Achyranthes bidentata seedling changed as compared to the controls, and effects of low temperature on root tip were higher than those of streptomycin. on the contrary, cells in meristematic zone of root tip under drought condition arranged orderly and closely and had strong cell division. Therefore, this research results indicated that effects of abiotic stresses on seed germination and root growth of Achyranthes bidentata were different, but specific mechanisms of effects are still unclear and need to be further explored.