Abstract
Published reports on the effects of seed size on wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) vigor are conflicting. The interactive effects of seed size and water stress on germination and early growth of wheat are perhaps important in this regard. Experiments were conducted to measure the effects of seed size and water potential on germination and seedling growth of the soft red winter wheat genotypes ‘Auburn’ and ‘Howell’. In a growth chamber germination test using solutions of mannitol, germination percentage (GP) was not affected by seed size, but osmoticum of −300 kPa reduced GP to 69 compared to 88 and 89 for the 0 and −100 kPa treatments, respectively. In greenhouse soil, shoot dry weight (SOW), root dry weight (ROW), and number of tillers (NT) of 4‐wk‐old seedlings from large seeds (35 mg seed −1 ) were larger than those of seedlings from medium (26 mg seed −1 ) and small (17 mg seed −1 ) seeds. Soil water potentials of −100 and −300 kPa decreased all three parameters compared to the control (−10 kPa). The GP in the greenhouse was reduced by low water potential, but was not affected by seed size. The genotype × water potential interaction was significant for SOW and ROW, but not for GP and NT; Howell was more susceptible to water stress than Auburn. At −10 kPa, 4‐wk‐old plants from small seeds had SDW and ROW that were 30 and 39% smaller, respectively, than those from large seeds, while at −300 kPa, SOW and ROW of plants from small seeds were 75 and 78% smaller, respectively, than those of plants from large seeds. The ability of larger seeds to produce larger seedlings than smaller seeds thus appears to be more pronounced under drought than under well‐watered conditions. While it is not known whether larger seedlings (with larger roots) would enhance water supply to the plant by exploring more soil, or would decrease the supply through more transpiration, faster early growth from larger seeds may be advantageous in establishing plants under dry soil conditions.
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Claims 13
Claim · model-written summary
Seed size did not affect growth-chamber germination percentage.
- Taxon
- Winter Wheat
Triticum aestivumt0 - Treatment
- seed sizee0
- Outcome
- germination percentage (GP)e0
- Direction
- not affectede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“germination percentage (GP) was not affected by seed size”
t0“Winter Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
At −300 kPa, germination percentage fell to 69 versus 88 and 89 at 0 and −100 kPa.
- Taxon
- Winter WheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Treatment
- osmoticum of −300 kPae0
- Outcome
- GPe0
- Direction
- reducede0
- Value
- 69e0
- Qualifier
- 88 and 89e0
- Comparator
- 0 and −100 kPa treatmentse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“osmoticum of −300 kPa reduced GP to 69 compared to 88 and 89 for the 0 and −100 kPa treatments, respectively.”
t0“Winter Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Large seeds produced greater shoot dry weight, root dry weight and tiller number than medium and small seeds in greenhouse soil.
- Taxon
- Winter WheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Treatment
- large seeds (35 mg seed −1 )e0
- Outcome
- shoot dry weight (SOW), root dry weight (ROW), and number of tillers (NT)e0
- Direction
- largere0
- Comparator
- medium (26 mg seed −1 ) and small (17 mg seed −1 ) seedse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“shoot dry weight (SOW), root dry weight (ROW), and number of tillers (NT) of 4‐wk‐old seedlings from large seeds (35 mg seed −1 ) were larger than those of seedlings from medium (26 mg seed −1 ) and small (17 mg seed −1 ) seeds.”
t0“Winter Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil water potentials of −100 and −300 kPa reduced shoot weight, root weight and tiller number versus −10 kPa.
- Taxon
- Winter WheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Treatment
- −100 and −300 kPae0
- Outcome
- all three parameterse0
- Direction
- decreasede0
- Comparator
- control (−10 kPa)e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Soil water potentials of −100 and −300 kPa decreased all three parameters compared to the control (−10 kPa).”
t0“Winter Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Greenhouse germination percentage declined under low water potential.
- Taxon
- Winter WheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Treatment
- low water potentiale0
- Outcome
- GPe0
- Direction
- reducede0
- Setting
- greenhousee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The GP in the greenhouse was reduced by low water potential, but was not affected by seed size.”
t0“Winter Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Greenhouse germination percentage was unaffected by seed size.
- Taxon
- Winter WheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Treatment
- seed sizee0
- Outcome
- GPe0
- Direction
- not affectede0
- Setting
- greenhousee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The GP in the greenhouse was reduced by low water potential, but was not affected by seed size.”
t0“Winter Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Genotype and water potential interacted significantly for shoot and root dry weight.
- Taxon
- Winter WheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Material
- Howelle0
- Treatment
- water potentiale0
- Outcome
- SOW and ROWe0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The genotype × water potential interaction was significant for SOW and ROW, but not for GP and NT; Howell was more susceptible to water stress than Auburn.”
t0“Winter Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Genotype and water potential interaction was not significant for germination percentage and tiller number.
- Taxon
- Winter WheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Material
- Howelle0
- Treatment
- water potentiale0
- Outcome
- GP and NTe0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The genotype × water potential interaction was significant for SOW and ROW, but not for GP and NT; Howell was more susceptible to water stress than Auburn.”
t0“Winter Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Howell was more susceptible to water stress than Auburn.
- Taxon
- Winter WheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Material
- Howelle0
- Outcome
- susceptible to water stresse0
- Direction
- more susceptiblee0
- Comparator
- Auburne0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Howell was more susceptible to water stress than Auburn.”
t0“Winter Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
At −10 kPa, small-seed plants had 30% less shoot dry weight than large-seed plants.
- Taxon
- Winter WheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Treatment
- small seedse0
- Outcome
- SDWe0
- Direction
- smallere0
- Value
- 30e0
- Qualifier
- At −10 kPae0
- Comparator
- large seedse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“At −10 kPa, 4‐wk‐old plants from small seeds had SDW and ROW that were 30 and 39% smaller, respectively, than those from large seeds”
t0“Winter Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
At −10 kPa, small-seed plants had 39% less root dry weight than large-seed plants.
- Taxon
- Winter WheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Treatment
- small seedse0
- Outcome
- ROWe0
- Direction
- smallere0
- Value
- 39%e0
- Qualifier
- At −10 kPae0
- Comparator
- large seedse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“At −10 kPa, 4‐wk‐old plants from small seeds had SDW and ROW that were 30 and 39% smaller, respectively, than those from large seeds”
t0“Winter Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
At −300 kPa, small-seed plants had 75% less shoot dry weight than large-seed plants.
- Taxon
- Winter WheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Treatment
- small seedse0
- Outcome
- SOWe0
- Direction
- smallere0
- Value
- 75e0
- Qualifier
- −300 kPae0
- Comparator
- large seedse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“at −300 kPa, SOW and ROW of plants from small seeds were 75 and 78% smaller, respectively, than those of plants from large seeds.”
t0“Winter Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
At −300 kPa, small-seed plants had 78% less root dry weight than large-seed plants.
- Taxon
- Winter WheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Treatment
- small seedse0
- Outcome
- ROWe0
- Direction
- smallere0
- Value
- 78%e0
- Qualifier
- −300 kPae0
- Comparator
- large seedse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“at −300 kPa, SOW and ROW of plants from small seeds were 75 and 78% smaller, respectively, than those of plants from large seeds.”
t0“Winter Wheat”
The same questions in other papers
property · growth · Triticum aestivum (wheat)Positive and negative results
6 papers in the same direction as this paper · 26 in the opposite direction
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29 papers more in this group
See all 33 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.