Effect of light on germination of seeds of Cactaceae from the Chihuahuan Desert, Mexico

2006 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joel Flores ◽  
Enrique Jurado ◽  
Alberto Arredondo
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Chihuahuan Desert ◽  
Soil Seed Bank ◽  
Germination Rate ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Continuous Darkness ◽  
Secondary Dormancy ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Persistent Soil Seed Bank ◽  
Effect Of Light

In the Chihuahuan Desert, there are many cacti species considered to be at risk due to illegal extraction, land-use change and overgrazing. To reduce their illegal extraction,ex situplant propagation has been suggested. However, the literature regarding seed germination biology of these species is scarce. We investigated the effect of light on germination percentages and germination rate (t50) in seeds of 28 cactus species from the Chihuahuan Desert. Seeds were incubated at a 14-h daily photoperiod (light) and in continuous darkness at 25°C for 30 d, after which seeds failing to germinate in darkness were transferred to light for 30 d. Only 11 of the species had non-dormant seeds, germinating ≥70% in the light; thus an evaluation of the effect of light versus darkness on germination was confined to them. All species were positively photoblastic, and all of them had seeds weighing <1 mg. Ten species did not germinate in darkness, and one species had only 7% germination. From these 11 species, 8 did not germinate to a significantly higher percentage when the same set of seeds was transferred from dark to light, suggesting that darkness had triggered secondary dormancy (skotodormancy). To our knowledge, these results are the first to show that darkness triggers secondary dormancy in cacti. Implications of having a light requirement for germination and having small seeds to accumulate a persistent soil seed bank are discussed. These results contribute to understanding the germination biology of cactus species at risk, and could enhance the propagation of large numbers of cultivated individuals outside their habitats, promotingex situconservation.

The role of soil temperature and seed dormancy in the creation and maintenance of persistent seed banks of Nassella trichotoma (serrated tussock) on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 85
Author(s):  
Annemieke Ruttledge ◽  
Ralph D. B. Whalley ◽  
Gregory Falzon ◽  
David Backhouse ◽  
Brian M. Sindel
Keyword(s):  
Seed Bank ◽  
New South ◽  
Soil Seed Bank ◽  
Seed Banks ◽  
Early Summer ◽  
Secondary Dormancy ◽  
South Wales ◽  
The Creation ◽  
Persistent Soil Seed Bank

A large and persistent soil seed bank characterises many important grass weeds, including Nassella trichotoma (Nees) Hack. ex Arechav. (serrated tussock), a major weed in Australia and other countries. In the present study we examined the effects of constant and alternating temperatures in regulating primary and secondary dormancy and the creation and maintenance of its soil seed bank in northern NSW, Australia. One-month-old seeds were stored at 4, 25°C, 40/10°C and 40°C, in a laboratory, and germination tests were conducted every two weeks. Few seeds germinated following storage at 4°C, compared with seeds stored at 25°C, 40/10°C and 40°C. Nylon bags containing freshly harvested seeds were buried among N. trichotoma stands in early summer, and germination tests conducted following exhumation after each season over the next 12 months. Seeds buried over summer and summer plus autumn had higher germination than seeds buried over summer plus autumn plus winter, but germination increased again in the subsequent spring. Seeds stored for zero, three, six and 12 months at laboratory temperatures were placed on a thermogradient plate with 81 temperature combinations, followed by incubation at constant 25°C of un-germinated seeds. Constant high or low temperatures prolonged primary dormancy or induced secondary dormancy whereas alternating temperatures tended to break dormancy. Few temperature combinations resulted in more than 80% germination.

scholarly journals A quantitative analysis of seed dormancy and germination in the winter annual weed Sinapis arvensis (Brassicaceae)

Botany ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 94 (4) ◽  
pp. 289-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elias Soltani ◽  
Carol C. Baskin ◽  
Jerry M. Baskin ◽  
Afshin Soltani ◽  
Serolla Galeshi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Water Potential ◽  
Soil Seed Bank ◽  
Threshold Temperature ◽  
Burial Depth ◽  
Sinapis Arvensis ◽  
Secondary Dormancy ◽  
Winter Annual ◽  
Persistent Soil Seed Bank ◽  
Dormancy Induction

The aims of this study were to determine the effects of burial on germination and longevity, and of water stress and temperature on germination and dormancy induction of the weed Sinapis arvensis L. During exposure to the high temperatures of summer, seeds buried in the field became nondormant, but low water potential and supra-optimal temperatures (constant not alternating) induced them into secondary dormancy. The threshold temperature for dormancy induction (TTDI) was about 19 °C when water was not limiting germination, and it decreased with a slope of 10 °C per MPa as water potential decreased. Seeds had minimum dormancy (Dmin) when T < TTDI, and Dmin decreased by 81.5% per MPa increase in water potential. Dormancy induction increased linearly with a slope of 13.23% for each additional centimetre of burial depth from 1.0 to 5.19 cm. Dormancy was induced to its highest level (96%) in seeds buried at a depth of ≥5.19 cm; the remaining seeds were dead or were presumed to be dead Sinapis arvensis can form a persistent soil seed bank, and either water stress or conditions associated with increased burial depth can promote induction of secondary dormancy in the seeds.

Soil seed bank and vegetation dynamics in Sahelian fallows; the impact of past cropping and current grazing treatments

2004 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 683-691 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Hérault ◽  
Pierre Hiernaux
Keyword(s):  
Seed Bank ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Soil Seed Bank ◽  
Residual Effects ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Phosphorus Fertilizer ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Seed Extraction ◽  
The Impact

The soil seed bank in a 5-y-old Sahelian fallow was studied through seed extraction and compared with germinations recorded either in controlled conditions, ex situ in a glasshouse, or in the field. The influence of phosphorus fertilizer and mulch application during the preceding crop period, and that of seasonal grazing regimes applied the last 2 y of fallowing, were assessed on the composition of the seed stock. Ctenium elegans, Fimbristylis hispidula, Merremia pinnata and Phyllanthus pentandrus accounted together for 75% of extracted seeds, 72% of ex situ, and 62% of in situ seedlings. Mulch treatment was correlated with the first axis of the canonical correspondence analyses performed on the seedling datasets. Mulch and phosphorus fertilizer treatments held similar responses, as they both favoured the seed bank of erect dicotyledons such as P. pentandrus and Cassia mimosoides. On the whole, the effects of grazing remained modest compared with the residual effects of past crop management practices. However, seedling densities increased as a result of dry-season grazing, while the soil seed bank decreased with wet-season grazing. Grazing also reduced the spatial heterogeneity of the seed bank rather than the overall number of species.

scholarly journals Effect of light and temperature on seed germination in Tibouchina mutabilis (Vell.) Cogn. (Melastomataceae)

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edson Simão ◽  
Massanori Takaki
Keyword(s):  
Seed Germination ◽  
White Light ◽  
Light Sensitivity ◽  
Pioneer Species ◽  
Continuous Darkness ◽  
Effect Of Light

The effect of light and temperature on Tibouchina mutabilis seed germination was analyzed by isothermic incubations in the range of 10 to 40 °C, with 5 °C intervals under both continuous white light (32.85 µmolm-2s-1) and darkness and alternating temperatures (15-20; 15-25; 15-30; 15-35; 20-25; 20-30; 20-35; 25-30; 25-35 and 30-35 °C) under both photoperiod of 12 hours and continuous darkness. The seeds of T. mutabilis need light to trigger the germination and no germination was observed in darkness. The range of optimum temperatures for germination was between 25 to 30 °C and the 20-25 °C alternating temperatures. These results indicate that T. mutabilis behaves as a pioneer species and daily alternating temperatures did not change the light sensitivity of seeds.

High seed viability recorded in an endangered endemic species, 'Isoplexis isabelliana' (Scrophulariaceae), after more than 30 years of storage in a conservation seed bank

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. e69341
Author(s):  
Miguel Ángel González Pérez ◽  
Nereida Cabrera-García ◽  
Isabel Cayon-Fernández
Keyword(s):  
Seed Bank ◽  
Germination Rate ◽  
Genetic Material ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Seed Viability ◽  
Seed Storage ◽  
Botanical Garden ◽  
Storage Conditions ◽  
Seed Banks ◽  
Ex Situ

Conservation seed banks are essential for ex-situ conservation of genetic biodiversity. These institutions are especially relevant for threatened species and play a vital role in their conservation by preserving genetic material. However, samples deposited in the seed banks must germinate when necessary to use them (i.e., recovery plans, etc.). This study uses four accessions of the endemic endangered species from Gran Canaria Island (Canary Islands), Isoplexis isabelliana (Webb & Berthel.) Masf. (Scrophulariaceae). Germination tests were carried out to measure seed viability through time and the possible impact of seed storage on their viability. These accessions have been kept in the seed bank for four months to thirty years under different storage conditions. Germination results differed for seeds after 45 days of exposition using 16 hours light and 8 hours darkness at 17 °C. Accessions kept in the seed bank, independently of storage, showed a high germination percentage (89%). Whereas the accessions with rough storage conditions showed a 0% germination rate. The results highlighted the good state of conservation of the material deposited in the Seed Bank of the Botanical Garden "Viera y Clavijo" and the reliability of the temperature and humidity conditions in which the seeds of I. isabelliana have been stored. We consider these results as momentous since several natural populations of I. isabelliana has been affected by the last forest fire on the island.

Heteromorphism in seeds ofLeptocereus scopulophilus(Cactaceae) from Pan de Matanzas, Cuba

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 311-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Angel García-Beltrán ◽  
Duniel Barrios ◽  
Alina Cuza-Pérez
Keyword(s):  
Germination Rate ◽  
Border Region ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Seed Collection ◽  
Morphological Variations ◽  
Formation Of Cracks ◽  
Periclinal Walls ◽  
Cuticle Thickness ◽  
Seed Coats ◽  
Seed Heteromorphism

AbstractSeed heteromorphism is the formation of different seed morphs from the same individual. Two seed morphs have been preliminarily observed inLeptocereus scopulophilus. One morph shows an apparent natural scarification of its coat. Herein we describe the seeds, taking into account shape, coat integrity, surface, dimensions, mass and the position of germination cracks. We defined two seed morphs using the integrity of the spermoderma: fragmented seed coats (FSC) and complete seed coats (CSC). We also evaluated minimum germination time, germination rate and germinability. The seed morphs did not differ significantly in traits; however, regular striations along the cuticle of the periclinal walls were more visible in the FSC compared with the CSC. Both seed morphs displayed anticlinal cell boundaries in the border region that are channelled and straight in the dorsal-ventral region but difficult to define in the lateral region. We found four morphological variations in different positions where the radicle or cotyledons emerge and variations in cuticle thickness in different regions of the seed that could determine the formation of cracks during germination. All germination variants occurred in both seed morphs, albeit in different proportions. Germination was higher and faster for the FSC compared with the CSC. These germination differences could be related to a thinner cuticle in the FSC and the punctual release of its spermoderma, which facilitates a quick imbibition of the embryo and the breaking of the seed coat. Our results indicate that differences in germination parameters between the two seed morphs relate to differences in the percentage of dormant seeds, which favour the temporal expansion of germination and reduce competition between siblings. To propagate the species for conservation purposes, we recommend using FSC, while CSC may be used to establish a seed collectionex situ.

scholarly journals Longevity of seeds and soil seed bank of the Cerrado tree Miconia chartacea (Melastomataceae)

2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 386-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego F. Escobar E. ◽  
Victor J. M. Cardoso
Keyword(s):  
Seed Bank ◽  
Low Temperatures ◽  
Rainy Season ◽  
Storage Time ◽  
Soil Seed Bank ◽  
High Water ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
High Water Content ◽  
Storage Test

AbstractMiconia chartacea is a widely distributed tree in Brazil, occurring at altitudes ranging from 300 m to 1900 m in the Caatinga, Cerrado and Atlantic Forest biomes. In this work we attempted to classify M. chartacea seeds regarding their behaviour during storage and their germination syndrome and to determine, from a storage test in Cerrado soil and laboratory conditions in situ and ex situ, the longevity of seeds, as well as the capacity of the species to form a soil seed bank. The results suggested that M. chartacea seeds form a transient soil seed bank in the Cerrado and can be classified as orthodox in terms of storage behaviour, although the seeds are dispersed with a relatively high water content. The life span of seeds was favoured in soil-stored seeds in comparison with dry storage at 25°C, whereas storage at low temperatures prevented a decrease of the seed's germinability with storage time (330 d). M. chartacea seeds are dispersed during the dry season and germinate during the next rainy season, which can be classified as an intermediate–dry germination syndrome. Seeds of this species are dispersed in the Cerrado when temperatures and soil moisture are relatively low, which favours the formation of a soil seed bank, considering that the seeds tolerate desiccation and their longevity is favoured by low temperatures. A transient seed bank type is favoured by the loss of viability in storage at warm temperatures linked to the rainy season, and the predictable seasonal variations in climate in the region, with germination being restricted to the beginning of the rainy season.

Effect of temperature and moist conditions on seed dormancy cycling of two sympatric limestone species, Begonia guishanensis and Paraisometrum mileense, in southern China

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao-Jian Hu ◽  
Cheng Liu ◽  
Ai-Rong Li ◽  
Xiang-Yun Yang ◽  
Carol Baskin
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiment ◽  
High Temperatures ◽  
Seed Dormancy ◽  
Natural Environment ◽  
Southern China ◽  
Soil Seed Bank ◽  
Effect Of Temperature ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Persistent Soil Seed Bank ◽  
Almost All

AbstractInformation about seed dormancy cycling and germination in relation to temperature and moisture conditions in the natural environment is important for the conservation and restoration of rare species, including Begonia guishanensis and Paraisometrum mileense, two sympatric perennial limestone (karst) species. Dry afterripening (DAR) and wet and dry (WD) cycles at 15/5 and 25/15°C as well as moist chilling (MC) at 15/5°C were used to mimic the natural environment at different times of the year. A field experiment was conducted to monitor seasonal changes in germination responses of the seeds. About 40–65% of B. guishanensis and 5% of P. mileense seeds were dormant at maturity. DAR at 25/15 and 15/5°C as well as MC and WD cycles at 15/5°C alleviated dormancy for B. guishanensis but not P. mileense, and WD cycles at 25/15°C induced a deeper conditional dormancy for both species. Seeds of B. guishanensis exhibited dormancy cycling in the field, with increased dormancy under natural WD cycles at relatively high temperatures during the transition from the dry to the wet season in April to May and decreased dormancy during the wet season from June to October. KNO3 mitigated the dormancy-inducing effect of both artificial and natural WD cycles at relatively high temperatures for B. guishanensis. The field experiment indicated that seeds of B. guishanensis may be able to form a persistent soil seed bank, while almost all seeds of P. mileense germinate at the beginning of the wet season in the field.

Effect of light, salinity, and temperature on seed germination of Limonium stocksii

2004 ◽  
Vol 82 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabahat Zia ◽  
M Ajmal Khan
Keyword(s):  
Seed Germination ◽  
Temperature Regime ◽  
Germination Rate ◽  
Gradual Decrease ◽  
Salinity Treatment ◽  
Optimal Temperature ◽  
Complete Darkness ◽  
Temperature Regimes ◽  
Effect Of Light ◽  
Recovery Temperature

Limonium stocksii (Boiss.) Kuntze (Plumbaginaceae) is a perennial, woody shrub distributed at Hawks Bay, Karachi, Pakistan. Experiments were carried out to investigate seed germination responses of L. stocksii at different salinities (0, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 mmol/L NaCl) and under different temperature regimes (10:20, 15:25, 20:30, and 25:35 °C), both in a 12 h dark : 12 h light photoperiod and in complete darkness. The highest percentage of germination (about 100%) was obtained at 0, 100, and 200 mmol/L NaCl at 20:30 °C, and a further increase in salinity resulted in a gradual decrease in germination. Less than 5% of seeds germinated at 500 mmol/L NaCl. Germination under salinity treatment at 15:25 °C was slightly more inhibitory than the optimal temperature regime, whereas under both 10:20 and 25:35 °C temperature regimes, seed germination was substantially reduced and few seeds germinated at concentrations higher than 200 mmol/L NaCl. Germination rate was fastest at 20:30 °C and slowest at 10:20 °C. Relatively low seed germination was obtained in the dark in comparison to seeds germinated in a 12-h photoperiod under saline conditions. Recovery experiments showed that exposure of seeds to various salinity and temperature regimes had little effect on viability of seeds.Key words: germination, light, Limonium stocksii, NaCl, recovery, temperature.

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