Investigating the seed germination of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) after a 6-year storage period

Alfalfa is the most important forage plants domesticated in Iran and cultivated in all parts of the world. Unfortunately, this species has been removed from natural areas due to long-term overgrazing. One of the species that the Natural Resources Departments use for the improvement and development of rangelands is alfalfa. In order to investigate the germination rate of alfalfa seeds, the seeds (Tabriz' Qareh cultivar) were acquired from the General Department of Natural Resources and Watershed Management of Lorestan in autumn 2017 and stored under normal room conditions. The first germination test was done in 2017 to check the initial germination rate, and after a 6-year storage period, their germination was also tested in the laboratory. A completely randomized design was used to conduct the experiment. In this experiment, 5 replications were used, and thirty alfalfa seeds were placed in each Petri dish. The number of germinated seeds was counted up to ten days. The results showed that the germination percentage of alfalfa seeds in 2017 was close to 97%, while after six years of seed storage, it reached 81%. Considering that alfalfa seeds are small and were kept in ordinary room conditions, it seems that the relatively high germination percentage is a sign of tolerance to disturbances. However, this species has disappeared from rangelands due to prolonged overgrazing, making it essential to prioritize this in rehabilitation programs.

Investigating the seed germination of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) after a 6-year storage period Keywords:

Petri dish , Germination , Rangeland improvement , Laboratory