Embryo transcriptome and miRNA analyses reveal the regulatory network of seed dormancy in Ginkgo biloba

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhichao Jia ◽  
Beibei Zhao ◽  
Sian Liu ◽  
Zhaogeng Lu ◽  
Bang Chang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seed Germination ◽  
Seed Dormancy ◽  
Ginkgo Biloba ◽  
Regulatory Network ◽  
Regulatory Mechanism ◽  
Morphological Development ◽  
Morphophysiological Dormancy ◽  
Tree Seeds ◽  
Dormancy Induction ◽  
Release Processes

Abstract Seed dormancy is crucial for plant survival and prevents seed germination out of season. However, little is known about the regulatory mechanism of morphophysiological seed dormancy. Ginkgo biloba L. is one of the most ancient gymnosperms, and the completion of seed germination in this species requires cold and moist stratification. Here, we observed that at the mature seed stage, the embryo was not fully developed in G. biloba seeds. During dormancy stages, the length and weight of the embryo significantly increased, and nutrients accumulated in cotyledons. We further found that abscisic acid (ABA), gibberellic acid (GA), cytokinin and ethylene were integrated in the seed dormancy induction, maintenance and release processes, and GA biosynthesis and signaling transduction specifically act on dormancy release. Combining mRNA and miRNA analyses, we demonstrated that miRNA156 is involved in the regulation of morphophysiological dormancy. Our analyses revealed that G. biloba seed dormancy belongs to the ancestral morphophysiological dormancy type, which is not only regulated by the balance of ABA/GA, but also by other hormones associated with embryo morphological development, as well as genes related to embryo differentiation and development. These findings helped with elucidating the comprehensive regulatory network of morphophysiological dormancy in tree seeds.

scholarly journals Seed dormancy and germination in Cardiocrinum giganteum var. yunnanense, a perennial herb in China with post-dispersal embryo growth

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 303-314
Author(s):  
Ye-Fang Li ◽  
Jie Song ◽  
Wen-Ling Guan ◽  
Feng-Rong Li
Keyword(s):  
Seed Germination ◽  
Seed Dormancy ◽  
Practical Knowledge ◽  
Perennial Herb ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Dormancy Breaking ◽  
Morphophysiological Dormancy ◽  
Summer Temperatures ◽  
Autumn And Winter ◽  
Seed Dormancy And Germination

Seeds of Cardiocrinum giganteum var. yunnanense, which is native to China, has underdeveloped embryos when dispersed from parent plants that did not grow until the second autumn and winter after exposure to summer temperatures. Radicles and cotyledons emerged in late winter and spring. Thus, a 15–16 month period was required from dispersal to seed germination. Under laboratory conditions, this period could be shortened to 5–6 months in a 25°C/15°C (60 days) → 15°C/5°C (60 days) → 5°C (60 days) temperature sequence. Based on dormancy-breaking requirements, the seeds have deep simple morphophysiological dormancy (MPD). This is practical knowledge for propagation of the species from seeds.

scholarly journals Seed germination biology of the Albany pitcher plant, Cephalotus follicularis

2019 ◽  
Vol 67 (7) ◽  
pp. 480
Author(s):  
Michael P. Just ◽  
David J. Merritt ◽  
Shane R. Turner ◽  
John G. Conran ◽  
Adam T. Cross
Keyword(s):  
Seed Germination ◽  
Seed Dormancy ◽  
Outer Layer ◽  
Morphological Changes ◽  
Fire Regimes ◽  
Carnivorous Plant ◽  
Morphophysiological Dormancy ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Germination Success

Cephalotus follicularis is an ecologically unique, taxonomically isolated and range-restricted carnivorous plant that occurs exclusively within vulnerable wetland habitats in coastal south-western Australia. Very little is known about the reproductive biology of this iconic plant species, particularly in relation to seed dormancy and the specific requirements for germination. This knowledge gap must be filled to facilitate the establishment of conservation and management initiatives for the species, as Cephalotus is increasingly impacted by habitat loss, alteration to natural hydrological and fire regimes and, in recent times, climatic change. This study aimed to determine the type of seed dormancy that the seeds of Cephalotus possess, determine the optimum conditions required for seed germination, and examine the storage behaviour of seeds. The seeds of Cephalotus are small (1.0 × 0.5 mm), lightweight (0.1 mg) and remain indehiscent within a wind-dispersed hairy achene. Results suggest that the seeds may exhibit some sensitivity to desiccation and appear to be short lived (<12 months) when stored at 23°C. Maximum germination was achieved after 16 weeks incubation at 15°C for seeds removed from the protective outer layer of the achene, while seeds retained within the protective outer layer displayed lower germination success. The post-ripening morphological changes in the embryo, limited response to gibberellic acid, and the long time period required for germination suggests that the seeds exhibit morphophysiological dormancy, with a fraction of seeds remaining dormant for a period of time post-dispersal. These results highlight the importance of limiting hydrological alteration within the few remaining habitats that continue to support Cephalotus, but to ensure its long-term protection, further research focusing on phenology and in situ recruitment is required.

Species-specific environmental requirements to break seed dormancy: implications for selection of regeneration niches in three Lonicera (Caprifoliaceae) species

Botany ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 91 (4) ◽  
pp. 225-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandro Santiago ◽  
José M. Herranz ◽  
Elena Copete ◽  
Pablo Ferrandis
Keyword(s):  
Seed Germination ◽  
Seed Dormancy ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Close Correspondence ◽  
Morphophysiological Dormancy ◽  
Germination Phenology ◽  
Environmental Requirements ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Regeneration Niches ◽  
Selection Of

Environmental requirements for seed germination can operate as an important filter in determining the regeneration niche and ultimately the habitat preference of many plant species. We hypothesize that morphological and morphophysiological seed dormancy may play a major role in habitat selection, because underdeveloped embryos responsible for those dormancy types usually require strict species-specific environmental conditions to grow and to overcome dormancy, imposing marked constraints to recruitment and thus to species distribution. We analyzed the influence of temperature and light on embryo growth and seed germination, as well as germination phenology in three Lonicera (Caprifoliaceae) species. Lonicera xylosteum L. seeds had morphological dormancy. Those of Lonicera etrusca Santi had unusual within-species dormancy variability, with a fraction being able to show both morphological and morphophysiological dormancy. Seeds of Lonicera arborea had deep complex morphophysiological dormancy. The close correspondence between the environmental conditions that each Lonicera species requires to break seed dormancy and their altitudinal range suggests that morphological and morphophysiological dormancies act as important filters in determining the regeneration niches of species, probably because such dormancy mechanisms impose markedly specific environmental requirements during the earlier stages of recruitment.

scholarly journals Effect of Nitric Oxide on Seed Germination and Dormancy in Empress Trees

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jia Liu ◽  
Tingting Xue ◽  
Yongbao Shen
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Seed Germination ◽  
Sodium Nitroprusside ◽  
Seed Dormancy ◽  
Sodium Tungstate ◽  
Continuous Light ◽  
Germination Percentage ◽  
Cold Stratification ◽  
Endogenous Nitric Oxide ◽  
Tree Seeds

Freshly harvested empress tree (Paulownia elongata) seeds have physiologic dormancy. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of exogenous and endogenous nitric oxide (NO) on the dormancy and germination of empress tree seeds. After treatment with different concentrations of sodium nitroprusside (an NO-releasing compound) solution, the germination percentage of seeds under 12 h of continuous light was significantly greater. Seed germination percentage was promoted significantly by 10–4 M sodium nitroprusside plus cold stratification compared with seeds treated with cold stratification only. At different hours during imbibition, empress tree seeds treated with 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4, 4, 5, 5- tetramethylimidazoline -1-oxyl-3-oxide potassium salt (c-PTIO), NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), and sodium tungstate showed reduced seed germination percentages. During the early hours of imbibition, c-PTIO or sodium tungstate treatment inhibited seed germination significantly. The results showed that both exogenous and endogenous NO can release empress tree seed dormancy. Endogenous NO oxide was involved in dormancy release and germination of seeds during the early stages of imbibition. Wider application of NO may be used for breaking seed dormancy in other species.

scholarly journals Non-Deep Simple Morphophysiological Dormancy and Germination Characteristics of Gentiana triflora var. japonica (Kusn.) H. Hara (Gentianaceae), a Rare Perennial Herb in Korea

Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1979
Author(s):  
Hyeon-Min Kim ◽  
Jun-Hyeok Kim ◽  
Da-Hyun Lee ◽  
Young-Ho Jung ◽  
Chung-Youl Park ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seed Germination ◽  
Seed Dormancy ◽  
Incubation Temperature ◽  
Potassium Nitrate ◽  
Perennial Herb ◽  
Cold Stratification ◽  
Gentiana Triflora ◽  
Nitrate Treatment ◽  
Morphophysiological Dormancy ◽  
Seed Propagation

This study investigated the kind of seed dormancy and seed germination of Gentiana triflora var. japonica (Kusn.) H. Hara for developing a seed propagation method. The seeds were collected in October 2020 from plants at Mt. Sobaeksan, Korea. In a water imbibition experiment, seed weights increased by > 101.9% of their initial masses over 12 h. Effects of incubation temperature (5, 15, 20, 25, 15/6, or 25/15 °C), cold stratification period (5 °C; 0, 4, 8, or 12 weeks), and gibberellic acid (GA3; 0, 10, 100, or 1000 mg∙L−1) and potassium nitrate treatment (KNO3; 0, 1000, 2000, or 4000 mg∙L−1) on seed germination were investigated to characterize seed dormancy. These seeds exhibited underdeveloped embryos during seed dispersal. The seeds failed to reach the final germination of 15.0% after treatment at 5, 15, 20, 25, 15/6, or 25/15 °C. After cold stratification for 8 weeks, the germination increased dramatically by > 90.0% compared to that at 0 weeks. After the GA3 treatment, the germination reached > 80.0% within 5 days. The final germination was 90.0% in the 100 mg∙L−1 GA3 treatment group. However, the KNO3 treatment had no effect on seed germination. Therefore, the G. triflora var. japonica seeds exhibited non-deep simple morphophysiological dormancy.

scholarly journals Practical Methods for Breaking Seed Dormancy in a Wild Ornamental Tulip Species Tulipa thianschanica Regel

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1765
Author(s):  
Wei Zhang ◽  
Lian-Wei Qu ◽  
Jun Zhao ◽  
Li Xue ◽  
Han-Ping Dai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seed Germination ◽  
Seed Dormancy ◽  
Combined Treatment ◽  
Individual Treatment ◽  
Cold Stratification ◽  
Slight Effect ◽  
Sowing Depth ◽  
Physiological Dormancy ◽  
Commercial Breeding ◽  
Breaking Seed Dormancy

The innate physiological dormancy of Tulipa thianschanica seeds ensures its survival and regeneration in the natural environment. However, the low percentage of germination restricts the establishment of its population and commercial breeding. To develop effective ways to break dormancy and improve germination, some important factors of seed germination of T. thianschanica were tested, including temperature, gibberellin (GA3) and/or kinetin (KT), cold stratification and sowing depth. The percentage of germination was as high as 80.7% at a constant temperature of 4 °C, followed by 55.6% at a fluctuating temperature of 4/16 °C, and almost no seeds germinated at 16 °C, 20 °C and 16/20 °C. Treatment with exogenous GA3 significantly improved the germination of seeds, but KT had a slight effect on the germination of T. thianschanica seeds. The combined treatment of GA3 and KT was more effective at enhancing seed germination than any individual treatment, and the optimal hormone concentration for the germination of T. thianschanica seeds was 100 mg/L GA3 + 10 mg/L KT. In addition, it took at least 20 days of cold stratification to break the seed dormancy of T. thianschanica. The emergence of T. thianschanica seedlings was the highest with 82.4% at a sowing depth of 1.5 cm, and it decreased significantly at a depth of >3.0 cm. This study provides information on methods to break dormancy and promote the germination of T. thianschanica seeds.

scholarly journals Regulation of Seed Dormancy and Germination Mechanisms in a Changing Environment

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 1357
Author(s):  
Ewelina A. Klupczyńska ◽  
Tomasz A. Pawłowski
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Seed Germination ◽  
Seed Dormancy ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Plant Evolution ◽  
Suitable Habitat ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Adaptation Mechanism ◽  
Seed Dormancy And Germination

Environmental conditions are the basis of plant reproduction and are the critical factors controlling seed dormancy and germination. Global climate change is currently affecting environmental conditions and changing the reproduction of plants from seeds. Disturbances in germination will cause disturbances in the diversity of plant communities. Models developed for climate change scenarios show that some species will face a significant decrease in suitable habitat area. Dormancy is an adaptive mechanism that affects the probability of survival of a species. The ability of seeds of many plant species to survive until dormancy recedes and meet the requirements for germination is an adaptive strategy that can act as a buffer against the negative effects of environmental heterogeneity. The influence of temperature and humidity on seed dormancy status underlines the need to understand how changing environmental conditions will affect seed germination patterns. Knowledge of these processes is important for understanding plant evolution and adaptation to changes in the habitat. The network of genes controlling seed dormancy under the influence of environmental conditions is not fully characterized. Integrating research techniques from different disciplines of biology could aid understanding of the mechanisms of the processes controlling seed germination. Transcriptomics, proteomics, epigenetics, and other fields provide researchers with new opportunities to understand the many processes of plant life. This paper focuses on presenting the adaptation mechanism of seed dormancy and germination to the various environments, with emphasis on their prospective roles in adaptation to the changing climate.

Morphophysiological dormancy and germination ecology in diaspores of the subtropical palm Phoenix canariensis Chabaud

Botany ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lanlan He ◽  
Ganesh K. Jaganathan ◽  
Baolin Liu
Keyword(s):  
Seed Dormancy ◽  
Seedling Emergence ◽  
Primary Root ◽  
Germination Percentage ◽  
Early Summer ◽  
Germination Ecology ◽  
Phoenix Canariensis ◽  
Morphophysiological Dormancy ◽  
Cotyledonary Petiole ◽  
Seed Dormancy And Germination

The timing of germination is a crucial event in a plant’s life cycle. Seed dormancy and germination mechanisms are important factors regulating seedling emergence. Since detailed experimental evidence for germination pattern of Phoenix canariensis colonizing sub-tropical climate is scarce, we investigated seed dormancy and germination ecology of P. canariensis. We found that the embryo is underdeveloped at the time of dispersal and doubles in size before the cotyledonary petiole (CP) protrudes through the operculum. The primary root and plumule emerge from the elongated CP outside the seed. In light/dark at 30/25°C, the CP emerged from 8% of the diaspores within 30 days and from 76% within 14 weeks. Thus, 8% of the diaspores have MD and the others MPD. Removal of the pericarp and operculum resulted in 100% germination within 5 days in light/dark at 30/25°C. Cold and warm stratification as well as treatment with GA3 significantly increased the germination speed, but the final germination percentage was not significantly increased. Seed germination was synchronized in early summer when seed dormancy was released by cold stratification in the soil over winter. A remote-tubular germination type and intricate root system provide an ecological advantage to the seedling establishment.

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