Population ecology of Cirsium pitcheri on Lake Huron sand dunes. III. Mechanisms of seed dormancy
Growth chamber studies were conducted to examine seed dormancy and germination requirements of Pitcher's thistle (Cirsium pitcheri (Torr. ex Eaton) Torr. & Gray), a threatened species endemic to the shoreline sand dunes of the Great Lakes. We determined the effects of different environmental regimes on breaking seed dormancy of this monocarpic perennial. The data showed that seeds of C. pitcheri possessed innate dormancy that was caused by a hard seed coat as well as inhibitory compounds within the seed. Seed germination requirements were very specific. Exposure of seeds to different temperatures and photoperiods in a growth chamber had little effect on breaking seed dormancy unless the seeds had been pretreated. Pretreatment of seeds by cold stratification and its duration, scarification by sand paper or sulphuric acid, and application of gibberellic acid were also not very effective for breaking dormancy of C. pitcheri. High germination was obtained only when seeds were pretreated either by surgically removing the seed coat or by nicking the seed on the radicle or cotyledonary end. After this pretreatment seeds germinated over a temperature range of 15-30°C, but the highest proportion of seeds germinated when temperatures were above 20°C. Under natural conditions, germination of C. pitcheri seeds occurs in spring after they have overwintered and experienced the pretreatment of stratification and scarification through freezing and thawing of the substrate. Aqueous extract of C. pitcheri seeds had a strong inhibitory effect on germination of Oenothera biennis L. seeds indicating an allelopathic chemical in the seed. There was no relationship between the seed size of C. pitcheri and the germinability of seeds.Key words: Cirsium pitcheri, threatened species, seed dormancy, seed germination, scarification, stratification, nicking of seeds.