No evidence for differential biomass and mineral content in adult plants grown from dimorphic seeds of Suaeda aralocaspica

Producing two or more types of seeds by a single plant is known as seed heteromorphism. Comparison of seed traits or growth between plants grown from heteromorphic seeds has received considerable attention. However, information is scarce regarding the comparison of mineral content of adult plants from heteromorphic seeds. Here we present biomass and mineral profiles (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium and Chloride) of adult plants grown from dimorphic seeds (non-dormant brown seeds and black seeds with non-deep physiological dormancy) of annual desert halophyte Suaeda aralocaspica at different levels of nutrient and salinity. The results showed that, although nutrient and salinity could affect dry weigh and mineral content, seed-dimorphic plants of S. aralocaspica did not show significant difference under the same experimental conditions. This study is one of the few to compare the physiological responses between seed-heteromorphic plants and suggests that mineral status is exactly consistent with growth performance for these plants.