Na compound fertilizer stimulates growth and alleviates water deficit in the succulent xerophyte Nitraria tangutorum (Bobr) after breaking seed dormancy

Nitraria tangutorum (Bobr), a typical succulent xerophyte with high level of seed dormancy, is one of the few shrubs found to date that can develop and form fixed dunes in desert regions. Our studies have demonstrated that the strong drought tolerance of the succulent xerophytes was strongly linked to high sodium (Na + ) accumulation in the photosynthesizing branches (PB) as well as leaves. The study is to explore a method that can rapidly promote the seed germination of N. tangutorum, and then investigate the positive effects of Na compound fertilizer (NaCF) on the growth and drought tolerance of N. tangutorum and ecological environment by short-term pot experiment in a greenhouse and long-term field and pot experiment in a desert environment. The results indicate that the germination rate of seeds obtained a maximum by 69% when seeds were treated with 150 mg L −1 gibberellic acid (GA 3 ) for 48 h followed by soaking in concentrated sulfuric acid (98% H 2 SO 4 ) for 55 min, and then germinated (25/5°C) in darkness for 8 d. After breaking seed dormancy, the NaCF significantly stimulated growth of N. tangutorum and, concomitantly, improved its ability to cope with water deficit (30% of field water capacity) by increasing Na + more than Potassium (K + ) accumulation for osmotic adjustment in greenhouse and desert conditions. The contribution (take the pot experiment in the desert, for example) of Na + to the osmotic potential (compared with control) varied from 13.9% in plants subjected to diammonium phosphate [(NH 4 ) 2 HPO 4 ] to, surprisingly, 63.9% in plants grown in the presence of NaCF under water deficit. The distribution characteristics of the total Na + (1620 mg) in the NaCF indicate that 691.2 mg (42.7%) is absorbed by plants, 848.8 mg (52.4%) remained in the pot and 80 mg (4.9%) leached, which accounted for 2.2% of the nursery soil, respectively. The positive effect of NaCF on the drought resistance of N. tangutorum and the ecological environment were also confirmed in the field experiments. These findings suggest that the rapid seed germination technology of N. tangutorum combined with the popularization and application of NaCF can shorten the seed germination period and make the seedling establishment much easier, which may be an effective strategy to restore and reconstruct degraded vegetation in many desert regions.