[Objective] To study the effects of different dosages of water-retaining agents on seed germination of four typical desert plants, the suitable dosage of seed-coated water-retaining agents was screened to provide scientific basis for vegetation restoration and desertification control in desert areas.[Methods] Four typical desert plants, Reaumuria soongarica, Caragana korshinskii, Nitraria sphaerocarpa and Hedysarum scoparium, were studied. Their seeds were treated with 1%, 4%, 7%, 10%, and 13% water-retaining agents, and indices of germination rate, germination potential, average germination rate of these seeds were measured.[Results] With the increase of water-retaining agent dosage, the germination rate of Caragana korshinskii showed a downward trend. Hedysarum scoparium, Nitraria sphaerocarpa and Reaumuria soongarica showed a trend of increasing firstly and decreasing afterwards, and the highest germination rate showed when the amount of water retaining agent was 4%. The different amounts of water retaining agent had a significant effect(p < 0.05) on the seeds of germination potential. The germination potential increased first and then decreased with the increase of the amount of water-retaining agent. When the amount of water-retaining agent was 1%, Caragana korshinskii had the highest germination potential, and when it was 4%, Hedysarum scoparium, Nitraria sphaerocarpa and Reaumuria soongarica had the highest germination potential. Different amounts of water-retaining agent treat had significant effects on seed average germination rate and germination index(p < 0.05). The two indices of the seeds of Nitraria sphaerocarpa and Reaumuria soongarica increased first and then decreased with the increase of water-retaining agent dosage. The average germination rate and germination index were the highest at 4%. When the amount of water-retaining agent was 1%, Caragana korshinskii had the highest germination index.[Conclusion] The effect of water-retaining agent dosage on seed germination varied from species to species, and a suitable amount of water-retaining agent can promote the seed germination of typical desert plants.