Effects of soaking seeds with paclobutrazol on seed germination of Lolium perenne under the simulated drought stress

Under the simulated drought stress condition with PEG, the TP method was used to determine the effect of different concentrations of paclobutrazol solution (0, 50, 100, 200, 300 and 400 mg/L) on seed germination of seven accessions of Lolium perenne to find out the optimal soaking concentration. This study showed that the paclobutrazol solution soaking seeds of L. perenne had a positive effect on seed germination, seedling quality, root length and root quality and the effectiveness of paclobutrazol firstly increased and then decreased as paclobutrazol concentration increased. However, he paclobutrazol solution soaking seeds significantly inhibited the germ growth of L. perenne (P0.05), and this inhibition increased with the increase of paclobutrazol concentration under drought stress condition. In summary, 100 mg/L paclobutrazol solution soaking seeds was the best for L. perenne to improve drought resistance at the germination phase.