Legume Research

  • Chief EditorJ. S. Sandhu

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Legume Research, volume 44 issue 9 (september 2021) : 1124-1127

Influence of Priming with Exogenous Selenium on Seed Vigour of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

F.S. Xia, C.C. Wang, Y.Y. Li, Y.Y. Yang, C. Zheng, H.F. Fan, Y.D. Zhang
1College of Grassland Science, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi Province 030801, China.
  • Submitted29-08-2020|

  • Accepted12-05-2021|

  • First Online 28-07-2021|

  • doi 10.18805/LR-587

Cite article:- Xia F.S., Wang C.C., Li Y.Y., Yang Y.Y., Zheng C., Fan H.F., Zhang Y.D. (2021). Influence of Priming with Exogenous Selenium on Seed Vigour of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Legume Research. 44(9): 1124-1127. doi: 10.18805/LR-587.
Background: Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element to higher plants, animals and humans, but low Se levels are a global public health concern. Seed priming has become a basic strategy for the production of Se-riched agricultural products, but its application is still not clear in the production of Se-enrich alfalfa, hence this study was conducted for the production of Se-enriched alfalfa by seed priming with different concentrations and time on seed vigour.
Methods: Seeds were primed with 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 and 8.0 mmol L-1 of sodium selenite solution for 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 h at 20°C and their germination percentage, germination index, seedling vigour index and mean germination time were analyzed. 
Result: Seed vigour of alfalfa was improved by priming with low selenium (Se) concentration (0.5 and 1.0 mmol L-1), but was inhibited by high Se concentration (> 2.0 mmol L-1). Hence, it must be necessary to carefully select appropriate concentration and time for the application of Se priming in alfalfa seeds. The optimal manner of Se priming in alfalfa seeds might be at 1.0 mmol L-1 concentration for 9 h.

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