Chinese Bulletin of Botany ›› 2014, Vol. 49 ›› Issue (1): 98-104.DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1259.2014.00098

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Effect of Exogenous NaHS on Seed Germination and Physiological Characteristics of Cucurbita ficifolia Under NaHCO3 Stress

Yongdong Sun*, Weirong Luo, Xinzheng Li, Guangyin Wang   

  1. School of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, China
  • Received:2013-04-01 Revised:2013-07-22 Online:2014-01-01 Published:2014-01-01
  • Contact: Yongdong Sun

Abstract: We studied the effect of exogenous NaHS on seed germination and physiological characteristics of Cucurbita ficifolia under NaHCO3 stress. NaHCO3 stress inhibited the germination rate, hypocotyl length and radicle length and decreased the soluble sugar content as well as activities of α-amylase, β-amylase, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD). While, exogenous NaHS treatment significantly increased hypocotyl length and radicle length as well as soluble sugar content. Moreover, exogenous NaHS treatment increased the activities of α-amylase, β-amylase, SOD and POD and decreased the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA). Treatment with other salts including Na2S, Na2SO4, NaHSO4 and NaHSO3 had no effect on germination rate under NaHCO3 stress. Na2HPO4-NaH2PO4 buffer (pH 5.8–7.8) did not promote seed germination under NaHCO3 stress as did NaHS treatment could be concluded that exogenous NaHS effectively alleviated the toxic effects of NaHCO3 stress on seed germination, and the function of NaHS was attributed to H2S.