Abstract: The seed germination, seedling growth and water absorption characteristic of Rhododendron fortunei were investigated under different osmotic potentials (PEG-6000, -0.3~-2.4 MPa) solution. The results were as follows: The seed in distilled water begin germinate from the fourteenth day and last for eight days got a total germination rate with 45.5%±1.7%. The water absorption rate of seeds under -0.3~-0.6 MPa solution was higher than in distilled water after the fifth day. The seed germination and seedling growth were better than in distilled water. The water absorption, seed germination and seedling growth were slow under the osmotic potentials solution ≥-0.9 MPa, and the seed did not imbibe and germinate under the osmotic potentials solution ≥-1.8 MPa. All the results showed that the seed germination and seedling growth were neither the moisture content of soil nor drought environmental conditions. The seed, after 48 hours, treatment with PEG of -0.3～-1.5 MPa, got a higher germination rate, which is significant when compared with the control, and the highest is in the PEG of -0.9 MPa, 57.5%. These work show that the seed was revivified with the treatment of a certain concentration of PEG and got a high efficiency of seed breeding.

Key words: drought stress, Rhododendron fortunei, seed germination, seedling growth, germination recovery rate