Abstract: In this study, the seeds of Elymus dahuricus Turcz. were used as materials to conduct the seed germination experiment after treatment with different seed-soaking temperatures（e.g.5 ℃,15 ℃,25 ℃,35 ℃,45 ℃,55 ℃ and 65 ℃） and different illumination times（e.g.0 d, 1 d, 2 d, 3 d, 4 d and 5 d）.Also, the effects of seed-soaking temperatures and illumination times on germination rate, germination potential and germination index of E. dahuricus seeds were tested to explore the best method to improve the seed germination of E. dahuricus.The results showed that seed-soaking at different temperatures had significant effects on the germination of E. dahuricus seeds（p＜0.05）,and the germination rate, germination potential and germination index of E. dahuricus seeds all showed a trend of decreasing first, then increasing and then decreasing with the increase of seed-soaking temperature.The germination rate, germination potential and germination index of E. dahuricus seeds reached the maximum values under 45 ℃ seed-soaking treatment, which were 97.34%,62% and 33.71,respectively.Also, the germination rate and germination index were significantly higher than those of other treatments（p＜0.05）,and there was significant difference in germination potential between 15 ℃,25 ℃,35 ℃,55 ℃ and 65 ℃（p＜0.05）.The germination rate and germination potential of E. dahuricus seeds under 65 ℃ and germination index under 15 ℃ were the lowest, which were 65.33%,44.67% and 21.93,respectively, which were significantly lower than those under 45 ℃ and 5 ℃（p＜0.05）.The results showed that 45 ℃ was the optimal pretreatment temperature for seed germination of E. dahuricus,and light treatment also had significant effects on seed germination of E. dahuricus（p＜0.05）.In addition, the germination rate, germination potential and germination index of E. dahuricus seeds increased first and then decreased with the increase of seed illumination times.The germination rate, germination potential and germination index of E. dahuricus seeds after 3 d of light treatment were 98%,60.5% and 37.37,respectively, which all reached the highest values.The germination rate and germination index were significantly different from those of other treatments（p＜0.05）.The germination potential was not significantly different from that of 4 d treatment（p＜0.05）,but was significantly different from that of other treatments（p＜0.05）.The germination rate of E. dahuricus seeds after 5 d of light treatment and germination potential and germination index of the seeds after 0 d of light treatment were the lowest.The germination rate of seeds after 5 d of light treatment was significantly lower than that of other treatments（p＜0.05）.The germination potential of seeds under 0 d of light treatment was significantly different from that under 2 d, 3 d and 4 d of light treatment（p＜0.05）,and the germination index of seeds under 0 d of light treatment was only significantly lower than that under 3 d of light treatment（p＜0.05）,which implied the seed germination effect was the best under light treatment for 3 days.In conclusion, seed-soaking at different temperatures and light treatment had effects on the germination of E. dahuricus seeds, and light treatment（3 d） and 45 ℃ treatment could preferably promote the germination of E. dahuricus seeds.