Germination characteristics of Agriophyllum squarrosum

Click on the DOI link below to access the article (may not be free).Agriophyllum squarrosum (L.) Moq. (Chenopodiaceae), a pioneer species of natural succession in semi-arid regions of China, is widely used for vegetation rehabilitation by air seeding. Experiments were conducted to determine the effects of light intensity and photoperiod, as well as constant and alternating temperatures, on germination to improve the technology of air seeding. Seed of A. squarrosum rarely (<18.5%) germinated at 5/15, 10/20, 15/25, and 20/30 °C (night/day); 39.5% of seeds germinated at 25/35 °C in a 14-h (215 µmol·m 2·s 1) photoperiod. Under dark conditions there was a high final percent seed germination (>90%), except for 71.8% final percent seed germination at 5/15 °C. Constant temperature conditions were associated with lower seed germination (