Abstract
Shortage of high-quality seeds of native species, particularly for xerophyte shrubs, have severely limited grassland restoration in the arid region of China. However, little attention has been devoted to improving seed yield and quality in the xerophyte shrub. We conducted a three-year field experiment from 2019 to 2020 to investigate the effects of four irrigation treatments (i.e., W0: non-irrigated control; W1: irrigation at winter; W2: irrigation at winter and regreening; W3: irrigation at winter, regreening, and peak flowering) via subsurface drip irrigation on the seed yield and quality of Hedysarum fruticosum, a dominant leguminous shrub in the desert areas of China. The results showed that seed yield increased as irrigation frequency increased regardless of growth season. The yearly average seed yields were 98.0, 107.7, 179.3, and 265.5 kg hm−2 for W0, W1, W2, and W3 irrigation, respectively. Seed yield decreased in each subsequent growth year in all irrigation treatments, and the variation in seed yield each year was the highest in W0 and lowest in W3 irrigation. Compared to 2019, the seed yield of W0 decreased by 47 % and 66 %, but yields of the W3 irrigation treatment decreased by 8 % and 19 % in 2020 and 2021, respectively. Meanwhile, irrigation significantly affected seed yield components; the number of florets and pods per stem under the W3 irrigation treatment was two to three times that of W0 irrigation for three years. The structural equation model revealed that pods per stem had the largest direct positive effect on seed yield (path factor p = 0.44), followed by seeds per pod (path factor p = 0.36). Irrigation treatments affected seed germination percentage and seed size, which increased as irrigations times increased. A similar water use efficiency was achieved in W0 and W3 in three years, and W1 treatment had the lowest water use efficiency. In conclusion, we recommend W3 treatment to increase seed yield and quality, especially in arid regions. Future breeding objectives and agronomic practice for H.fruticosum should pay more attention to increasing pods per stem. Our study can be used as a reference for taking appropriate agronomic measures to improve the seed yield of H.fruticosum and similar shrubs.
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Claims 14
Claim · model-written summary
Seed yield increased with irrigation frequency.
- Taxon
- Hedysarum fruticosumCorethrodendron fruticosumt0
- Treatment
- irrigation frequencye0
- Outcome
- seed yielde0
- Direction
- increasede0
Verbatim
e0“seed yield increased as irrigation frequency increased regardless of growth season”
t0“Hedysarum fruticosum”
e1“pods per stem had the largest direct positive effect on seed yield (path factor p = 0.44)”
Claim · model-written summary
Annual mean seed yields were 98.0, 107.7, 179.3 and 265.5 kg hm−2 for W0, W1, W2 and W3.
- Taxon
- Hedysarum fruticosumCorethrodendron fruticosumt0
- Outcome
- yearly average seed yieldse0
- Value
- 98.0, 107.7, 179.3, and 265.5 kg hm−2e0
Verbatim
e0“The yearly average seed yields were 98.0, 107.7, 179.3, and 265.5 kg hm−2 for W0, W1, W2, and W3 irrigation, respectively”
t0“Hedysarum fruticosum”
e1“pods per stem had the largest direct positive effect on seed yield (path factor p = 0.44)”
Claim · model-written summary
Seed yield fell in successive years across all irrigation treatments.
- Taxon
- Hedysarum fruticosumCorethrodendron fruticosumt0
- Outcome
- Seed yielde0
- Direction
- decreasede0
- Setting
- growth yeare0
Verbatim
e0“Seed yield decreased in each subsequent growth year in all irrigation treatments”
t0“Hedysarum fruticosum”
e1“pods per stem had the largest direct positive effect on seed yield (path factor p = 0.44)”
Claim · model-written summary
Yearly variation in seed yield was highest under W0 and lowest under W3.
- Taxon
- Hedysarum fruticosumCorethrodendron fruticosumt0
- Outcome
- variation in seed yielde0
- Direction
- highest in W0 and lowest in W3e0
Verbatim
e0“the variation in seed yield each year was the highest in W0 and lowest in W3 irrigation”
t0“Hedysarum fruticosum”
e1“pods per stem had the largest direct positive effect on seed yield (path factor p = 0.44)”
Claim · model-written summary
Relative to 2019, W0 seed yield fell by 47% in 2020 and 66% in 2021.
Verbatim
e0“Compared to 2019, the seed yield of W0 decreased by 47 % and 66 %”
t0“Hedysarum fruticosum”
e1“pods per stem had the largest direct positive effect on seed yield (path factor p = 0.44)”
Claim · model-written summary
Relative to 2019, W3 seed yield fell by 8% in 2020 and 19% in 2021.
Verbatim
e0“yields of the W3 irrigation treatment decreased by 8 % and 19 % in 2020 and 2021”
t0“Hedysarum fruticosum”
e1“pods per stem had the largest direct positive effect on seed yield (path factor p = 0.44)”
Claim · model-written summary
W3 had two to three times as many florets and pods per stem as W0.
Verbatim
e0“the number of florets and pods per stem under the W3 irrigation treatment was two to three times that of W0 irrigation for three years”
t0“Hedysarum fruticosum”
e1“pods per stem had the largest direct positive effect on seed yield (path factor p = 0.44)”
Claim · model-written summary
Pods per stem had the largest direct positive modeled effect on seed yield.
Verbatim
e0“pods per stem had the largest direct positive effect on seed yield (path factor p = 0.44)”
t0“Hedysarum fruticosum”
e1“pods per stem had the largest direct positive effect on seed yield (path factor p = 0.44)”
Claim · model-written summary
Seeds per pod had a positive modeled effect on seed yield.
- Taxon
- Hedysarum fruticosumCorethrodendron fruticosumt0
- Organ / stage
- seeds per pode0
- Outcome
- seed yielde1
- Value
- p = 0.36e0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“followed by seeds per pod (path factor p = 0.36)”
t0“Hedysarum fruticosum”
e1“pods per stem had the largest direct positive effect on seed yield (path factor p = 0.44)”
Claim · model-written summary
Germination percentage and seed size increased with irrigation frequency.
- Taxon
- Hedysarum fruticosumCorethrodendron fruticosumt0
- Treatment
- irrigations timese0
- Outcome
- seed germination percentage and seed sizee0
- Direction
- increasede0
Verbatim
e0“seed germination percentage and seed size, which increased as irrigations times increased”
t0“Hedysarum fruticosum”
e1“pods per stem had the largest direct positive effect on seed yield (path factor p = 0.44)”
Claim · model-written summary
Water use efficiency was similar under W0 and W3.
- Taxon
- Hedysarum fruticosumCorethrodendron fruticosumt0
- Outcome
- water use efficiencye0
- Direction
- similare0
- Comparator
- W0 and W3e0
Verbatim
e0“A similar water use efficiency was achieved in W0 and W3 in three years”
t0“Hedysarum fruticosum”
e1“pods per stem had the largest direct positive effect on seed yield (path factor p = 0.44)”
Claim · model-written summary
W1 had the lowest water use efficiency.
- Taxon
- Hedysarum fruticosumCorethrodendron fruticosumt0
- Treatment
- W1 treatmente0
- Outcome
- water use efficiencye0
- Direction
- loweste0
Verbatim
e0“W1 treatment had the lowest water use efficiency”
t0“Hedysarum fruticosum”
e1“pods per stem had the largest direct positive effect on seed yield (path factor p = 0.44)”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend W3 to improve seed yield and quality in arid regions.
- Taxon
- Hedysarum fruticosumCorethrodendron fruticosumt0
- Treatment
- W3 treatmente0
- Outcome
- increase seed yield and qualitye0
- Setting
- arid regionse0
Verbatim
e0“we recommend W3 treatment to increase seed yield and quality, especially in arid regions”
t0“Hedysarum fruticosum”
e1“pods per stem had the largest direct positive effect on seed yield (path factor p = 0.44)”
Claim · model-written summary
Breeding and agronomy should emphasize increasing pods per stem.
- Taxon
- H.fruticosumCorethrodendron fruticosume0
- Outcome
- increasing pods per steme0
Verbatim
e0“Future breeding objectives and agronomic practice for H.fruticosum should pay more attention to increasing pods per stem”
t0“Hedysarum fruticosum”