Abstract
Abstract There has been strong support for the hypothesis that the adverse effects of plant residues on crop yields are due to phytotoxic compounds derived from these residues. This hypothesis is based largely on studies showing that, when compared with distilled water, aqueous extracts of plant residues have an adverse effect on seed germination and seedling growth. Because seed germination and seedling growth are reduced by a delay in germination resulting from slow uptake of water by seeds, we studied the possibility that the adverse effects of aqueous extracts of plant residues on seed germination and seedling growth might be at least partly due to water uptake by seeds being retarded by water‐soluble constituents of these residues. To test this possibility, we compared the rates of water uptake and germination of seeds of corn (Zea mays L.), soybean [Glycine max. (L.) Merrill], and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) when these seeds were treated with distilled water and with aqueous extracts of corn, sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], and wheat residues. We found that the rates of water uptake and germination of seeds treated with aqueous extracts of plant residues were appreciably slower than the corresponding rates for seeds treated with distilled water. This may be due to the water potentials of these extracts (ca. ‐50 kPa) because when seeds of corn, sorghum, and wheat were treated with a solution of polyethylene glycol 8000 having a water potential similar to that of the extracts of plant residues tested, the rates of water uptake and germination were also slower than the corresponding rates for seeds treated with distilled water. These observations suggest that the adverse effects of aqueous extracts of plant residues on seed germination and seedling growth when compared with distilled water may be partly due to constituents of these extracts inducing water potential effects that reduce water uptake by germinating seeds.
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Claims 5
Claim · model-written summary
Plant-residue extracts slowed seed water uptake relative to distilled water.
- Taxon
- corn (Zea mays L.), soybean [Glycine max. (L.) Merrill], and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
Glycine max
Triticum aestivum
Zea mayse0 - Treatment
- aqueous extracts of plant residuese1
- Outcome
- rates of water uptakee1
- Direction
- appreciably slowere1
- Comparator
- distilled watere1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“seeds of corn (Zea mays L.), soybean [Glycine max. (L.) Merrill], and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)”
e1“the rates of water uptake and germination of seeds treated with aqueous extracts of plant residues were appreciably slower than the corresponding rates for seeds treated with distilled water”
Claim · model-written summary
Plant-residue extracts slowed seed germination relative to distilled water.
- Taxon
- corn (Zea mays L.), soybean [Glycine max. (L.) Merrill], and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)Glycine maxTriticum aestivumZea mayse0
- Treatment
- aqueous extracts of plant residuese1
- Outcome
- germination of seedse1
- Direction
- appreciably slowere1
- Comparator
- distilled watere1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“seeds of corn (Zea mays L.), soybean [Glycine max. (L.) Merrill], and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)”
e1“the rates of water uptake and germination of seeds treated with aqueous extracts of plant residues were appreciably slower than the corresponding rates for seeds treated with distilled water”
Claim · model-written summary
Polyethylene glycol solution at similar water potential slowed seed water uptake compared with distilled water.
- Taxon
- corn, sorghum, and wheat
SorghumTriticum aestivum
Zea mays subsp. mayse0 - Treatment
- a solution of polyethylene glycol 8000e0
- Outcome
- rates of water uptakee0
- Direction
- slowere0
- Qualifier
- a water potential similar to that of the extracts of plant residues testede0
- Comparator
- distilled watere0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“seeds of corn, sorghum, and wheat were treated with a solution of polyethylene glycol 8000 having a water potential similar to that of the extracts of plant residues tested, the rates of water uptake and germination were also slower than the corresponding rates for seeds treated with distilled water”
Claim · model-written summary
Polyethylene glycol solution at similar water potential slowed seed germination compared with distilled water.
- Taxon
- corn, sorghum, and wheatSorghumTriticum aestivumZea mays subsp. mayse0
- Treatment
- a solution of polyethylene glycol 8000e0
- Outcome
- germinatione0
- Direction
- slowere0
- Qualifier
- a water potential similar to that of the extracts of plant residues testede0
- Comparator
- distilled watere0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“seeds of corn, sorghum, and wheat were treated with a solution of polyethylene glycol 8000 having a water potential similar to that of the extracts of plant residues tested, the rates of water uptake and germination were also slower than the corresponding rates for seeds treated with distilled water”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors suggest water potential effects partly explain reduced seed water uptake from residue extracts.
Verbatim
e0“aqueous extracts of plant residues on seed germination and seedling growth when compared with distilled water may be partly due to constituents of these extracts inducing water potential effects that reduce water uptake by germinating seeds”
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See all 115 papers →8 of 11 groups shown: named compounds and organisms first, then groups whose results differ (checked claim by claim), then those with positive and negative results, then the smaller groups.
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.