A Modified Thermal Time Model Quantifying Germination Response to Temperature for C 3 and C 4 Species in Temperate Grassland

Hongxiang Zhang, Yu Tian and Daowei Zhou
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Hongxiang Zhang: Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130012, China
Yu Tian: Animal Science and Technology College, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
Daowei Zhou: Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130012, China

Agriculture, 2015, vol. 5, issue 3, 1-15

Abstract: Thermal-based germination models are widely used to predict germination rate and germination timing of plants. However, comparison of model parameters between large numbers of species is rare. In this study, seeds of 27 species including 12 C 4 and 15 C 3 species were germinated at a range of constant temperatures from 5 °C to 40 °C. We used a modified thermal time model to calculate germination parameters at suboptimal temperatures. Generally, the optimal germination temperature was higher for C 4 species than for C 3 species. The thermal time constant for the 50% germination percentile was significantly higher for C 3 than C 4 species. The thermal time constant of perennials was significantly higher than that of annuals. However, differences in base temperatures were not significant between C 3 and C 4 , or annuals and perennial species. The relationship between germination rate and seed mass depended on plant functional type and temperature, while the base temperature and thermal time constant of C 3 and C 4 species exhibited no significant relationship with seed mass. The results illustrate differences in germination characteristics between C 3 and C 4 species. Seed mass does not affect germination parameters, plant life cycle matters, however.

Keywords: germination rate; base temperature; thermal time constant; seed size (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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