Research on seed germination optimum temperature and temperaturethreshold of Elymus nutans

Abstract: The germination appropriate temperature and temperature threshold of Elymus nutans seeds for eight populations which were collected from Gansu Province and Qinghai Province were studied. The germination tests were subjected to 8 temperature treatments which were 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 ℃. The results showed that the seeds could germinate from 5 to 35 ℃, and was inhibited by 40 ℃. The germination and germination index had no significant differences (P＞0.05) under 20, 25 and 30 ℃. According to the seed germination thermal model (T, ℃), the seed germination temperature threshold was calculated. Tb, To and Tc of all E. nutans germplasm had no significant differences (P＞0.05), their average were 4, 24 and 38 ℃. We suggested that the temperature which was suitable for inspectioning of E. nutans were 20, 25 and 30 ℃, and the germination count time of the first time and the last time were the third day and the eleventh day, separately.