Elucidation of mechanism and development of appropriate technology for seed hardening in rainfed wheat farming in drylands

种子硬化被认为​​是改善种子发芽和出苗不良的种子预处理技术之一，而种子发芽和出苗是旱地雨养农业作物产量的主要限制因素。在本研究中，我的研究旨在阐明种子硬化效应的遗传差异、种子硬化的机制以及种子硬化对旱地主要谷类作物小麦产量的影响。结果发现，种子硬化对硬粒小麦和合成面包小麦种子萌发和出苗的影响存在遗传差异，赤霉素和α-淀粉酶活性与种子硬化的影响有关。另外，在播种后降雨充足的情况下，种子硬化不仅不能提高籽粒产量，而且也不会降低产量。

Seed hardening is known as one of seed pretreatment techniques to improve poor seed germination and seedling emergence which are major limiting factors of crop grain yield in rainfed farming in drylands. In the present study, I investigated to elucidate the genetic differences for effects of seed hardening, the mechanism of seed hardening and the influence of seed hardening on grain yield in wheat which is major cereal crop in drylands. As the results, it was found that there are genetic differences for effects of seed hardening on seed germination and seedling emergence in durum and synthetic bread wheat, and gibberellin and alfa-amylase activity were concerned in the effects of seed hardening. In the condition of sufficient rainfall after sowing, in addition, it was found that seed hardening couldn't increase grain yield, but not decrease too.