Germination and storage characteristics of Prunus africana seeds

Prunus africana, from the moist highlands of sub-Saharan Africa, is subject to great exploitation because its bark is used in the treatment of prostate-related diseases. A better understanding of the biology of its seed could help the ex situ and in situ conservation of the species. Fifty per cent of fresh seeds (46.8% MC) from mature purple fruits harvested in Kenya germinated after 10 days incubation at 25°C. The germination rate was linearly related to constant temperature, giving a prediction for the minimum temperature for germination at ca. 0.6°C. All seeds germinated at 5°C during 4 months fully hydrated storage. P. africana seed is, thus, neither dormant nor chilling sensitive. The relationship between equilibrium moisture content and relative humidity was used to construct a sorption isotherm, against which seed desiccation and storage responses were assessed. Seventy six per cent of mature seeds survived drying to 4.5% MC (22% RH) compared to 17% of seeds from immature purple-green fruits. Although, 25–45% of mature seeds survived at 8–12% MC after 2 months, only 10% remained viable after 6-month storage at 5°C. This study proposes optimum conditions for the artificial regeneration of P. africana seeds and highlights the need for further experiments storing dry seeds at sub-zero temperatures.     

Germination of stratified and non-stratified seeds of red alder at two germination temperatures

Two- to four-week stratification of red alder seeds slightly increased the speed of germination but did not improve total germination under alternating warm temperatures (30°C/20°C), yet significantly improved speed and total germination under cool temperatures (15°C/5°C) that simulated early spring outdoor nursery bed conditions. Only seeds that received four-week stratification achieved complete germination at the cooler temperatures. Strong seed source variation in response to seed treatments was observed at the cool regime. The Yacolt source germinated well regardless of seed treatments, even without stratification, while five other sources needed two to four weeks of stratification to achieve above 50% germination. Possible reasons for this variation are discussed.     

Seed dormancy in bay laurel (Laurus nobilis L.)

The germination of bay laurel (Laurus nobilis L.) seeds wasexamined both in the laboratory and in the field during twoyears. Seeds were collected from a grove in a garden in the townof Drama, Northern Greece, by mid November in the first year andby late November in the second year. The seeds with and withoutpericarp were given a warm-moist (20 °C day/12 °C night) oncold-moist (4±1 °C) treatment in peat or sand. After treatment theseeds were placed in the germinator along with controls. Thegermination of seeds with and without pericarp was alsoinvestigated in the field (late fall sowing). It was found thatthe pericarp caused dormancy. In seeds without pericarp,cold-moist and warm-moist stratification both proved to besuccessful in breaking embryo dormancy (100% and 96% successrespectively). The required stratification duration was 50 daysfor the warm-moist and 60 days for the cold-moist treatments.During the cold-moist stratification no germination was observed.On the other hand, seeds started to germinate during thewarm-moist stratification by about the 50th day. In the fallsowing germination was 20% for seeds with pericarp and 41% for seeds without pericarp. Drying bay laurel seeds caused areduction of the seed germination.     

Desiccation and storage behavior of bay laurel (Laurus nobilis L.) seeds

The effect of seed moisture content (m.c.) and seed storage conditions of bay laurel (Laurus nobilis L.) was investigated in relation to seed viability. In the first experiment, the effect of drying rate on seed moisture and seed germination was investigated. Fresh seeds, with their original moisture content displayed a germination percentage of 55.1%. When the seed moisture content was reduced by 2.0% in an oven, the germination percentage rose to 81.0%. When the seed moisture content was reduced even more by using the same method, the germination percentages decreased dramatically. Reducing the seed moisture content to 28.7 and 23.5% by drying the seeds in alternating room conditions resulted in an increase of seed germinability to 84.3 and 90.9%, respectively. The drying of the seeds for 45, 60 and 75 days reduced their seed germination to 66.8, 49.4 and 48.0%, respectively. Reducing seed moisture content below 15.0% resulted in practically nullifying seed germinability. The fact that bay laurel seeds cannot retain their germinability at lower moisture contents demonstrates that it is a species with recalcitrant seeds. In the second experiment, moist and dry storage conditions were tested under different temperatures and moisture contents. The storage experiment showed that the most effective way of conserving the bay laurel seeds is moist storage at 0 ± 1°C for 4 months without previous drying of the seeds.     

Longevity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Juniperus procera</Emphasis> seed lots under different storage conditions: implications for ex situ conservation in seed banks

Juniperus procera Endl. is economically important timber species, but its populations are extremely small and fragmented in its natural habitat, thus, calling for immediate ex situ conservation. Here we examined the effects of seed sources and storage temperature on the longevity of Juniperus procera seed lots through collection and preservation of seeds in seed banks. Seeds were collected from nine sites across the species natural distribution in Ethiopia and stored in four warehouses: modern cold room (5℃), mud house (15℃), concrete block house (17℃ or corrugated iron house (20℃) for 42 months. Every three months, a random sample of stored seeds were drawn and tested for germination. A highly significant variation (p < 0.01) in germination of stored seeds was observed among different storage environments, seed lots, and duration of storage. Over the storage period, seeds stored in the cold room had the highest mean percentage germination, followed by the mud house, corrugated house and blocket house. The cold room (41%) and the mud house (38%) maintained the same level of germination as the intitial germination of the seedlotds (42%). The variation in longevity of stored seeds was significnatly correlated with the initial germination of seed lots (r > 0.80; p < 0.01). Cold storage also resulted in enhancement of germination through its stratification effect that terminated the non-deepphysiological dormancy of juniper seeds. In conclusion, seed lots with good initial germination can be effectively stored in cold room (5℃) up to four years. In the absence of modern cold stores, mud houses can be used as a good alternative to store seeds at local level.     

Collection and care of sweetgum seed

Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.), a widely distributed hardwood in the United States and Central America, shows potential for tropical forestry application. Fruit heads change from bright green to yellow in color as they mature, and they can be picked from standing trees or logging slash when the color change occurs. Fruits release their seeds after only moderate drying, and cleaning is easy with air-screen cleaners. Sweetgum seeds are orthodox in storage behavior, and they should be stored at moisture contents of 5 to 10% at 0° to 5° (5 years or less) or –18° (more than 5 years). The seeds exhibit a shallow dormancy that can be overcome with 2 to 4 weeks of stratification at 3°C.     

Applying the IDS method to remove seeds infested with the seed chalcid,Megastigmus spermotrophus Wachtl,in Douglas-fir,Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco

Douglas-fir seedlots were treated with the Incubation Drying Separation (IDS) method to test whether seeds infested with the seed chalcid, Megastigmus spermotrophus Wachtl, could be separated from non-infested seeds. Seeds were soaked in distilled water for 24 h, drained, placed in plastic bags and incubated at 15 °C for 3 days. The seeds were dried for either 0.5, 1, or 2 h at 25 °C, and then separated into floaters and sinkers in a water column. An average of 97% of the infested seed floated. The drying period did not affect the separation of infested seeds but significantly fewer sound seeds floated in the seedlots dried for 0.5 h than those dried for 1 h. Germination capacity of IDS-treated seeds did not differ from that of untreated seeds but the germination rate was significantly faster for IDS-treated seeds when all lots were stratified.     

13种竹种子低温储存条件及种子育苗环境研究

为解决竹子种子长期保存问题,以马来龙竹、云南龙竹、巨龙竹、金平龙竹、麻竹、长节勒竹、云南箭竹、棉花竹、爪哇巨竹、大泰竹、笻竹、方竹和毛竹13种竹子的成熟种子为材料,通过研究不同低温、低温下不同储存时间、不同含水量、不同发芽设施和不同基质对种子发芽率的影响,来判断竹子种子保存的适合条件。结果表明：1）除笻竹和方竹的种子外,大多数竹种的种子在低温储存5个月内,随着温度由10℃逐渐降低到-16℃,种子发芽率会有不同程度的增高;2）在-16℃条件下,随着储存时间的延长,种子发芽率会有所下降;3）种子含水量会在很大程度上影响种子的发芽率,含水量超过在一定临界值,随着含水量的增加,种子发芽率会显著下降;4）选择不同的种子发芽设施也会影响种子发芽率,生产中宜选用具有微喷灌条件的温室进行育苗;5）在无菌红土、黑土和蛭石这3种基质中,蛭石是竹子播种育苗的适宜基质。     

Effects of storage conditions on dormancy and vigor of Picea abies seeds

The dormancy and vigor of Picea abies seeds were studied after five months of storage at 25 and 75% relative humidity (RH) and 5 and 12 °C. Dormancy was evaluated by studying germination response to light and moist chilling at 12 and 21 °C. Dormancy causing germination reduction in the dark was induced in seeds during storage at 25% RH (5–6% moisture content, MC) in darkness. The dormancy was greater when seeds were germinated at 12 than at 21 °C and after storage at 12 than at 5 °C. The effective dormancy relief by light indicates that germination was under phytochrome control. Moist chilling could partly replace light. According to accelerated aging and leachate conductivity tests, dry seeds could be stored at 12 °C for five months without affecting their vigor. After storage at 75% RH (11% MC) and 5 °C, the seeds germinated slowly and incompletely. The decreased germination response to light indicates that other processes than those mediated directly by phytochrome restricted germination of these seeds. The positive germination response to moist chilling suggested that secondary dormancy was induced in the seeds. However, vigor tests gave some evidence of simultaneous decrease of vigor. Storage at 75% RH and 12 °C decreased germination nearly to 0%. Germination of seeds stored at 75% RH could be stimulated by a short accelerated aging period.     

Genetic variation in minerals,crude protein and structural carbohydrates of foliage in provenances of young plants ofProsopis cineraria (L.) Druce in India

Prosopis cineraria is an important species for aridzone agroforestry in India. Information on the chemical composition and nutritive value of the leaves of young trees that will be useful in screening the provenances, is lacking. Chemical composition (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na), crude protein, and structural carbohydrates (neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) of the foliage of one-year-old plants of 31 provenances ofProsopis cineraria were determined. The seeds were collected from 16°50 N to 29°55 N latitude and 69°49 E to 78°03 E longitude in India, and grown at Hisar (29°10 N latitude, 75°46 E longitude and 215 m altitude). Mineral contents (except N and P), crude protein, and structural carbohydrates varied significantly (p<0.05) between provenances, and the greatest amount of N, P, crude protein, NDF, ADF and lignin contents were found in Hisar provenance. The in vitro dry matter digestibility varied from 18.2% in Gandhinagar provenance to 34.0% in that of Barmer provenance.     

Upgrading germinability of ponderosa pine seeds from Patagonia,Argentina, by adjusting prechilling periods and applying the IDS technique

Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dogl. ex. Laws.) is the most planted conifer species in the forest-steppe ecotone of Patagonia, Argentina, because of its adaptability and excellent growth rates. In spite of this, and the increasing demand for this species, local commercial seed lots showed low quality, making hazardous seedling production. Aiming to upgrade germinability of a local seed lot, we set an experiment to determine the duration of the prechilling period (0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 60 days) that promoted the highest seed germination speed (GE) and percentage (GP). Moreover, part of that lot was IDS treated, in an attempt to separate empty and dead filled seeds from viable seeds. Results showed that after 40 days prechilling, GE reached 62%, and GP 70%, both higher than the values obtained under customary conditions. The application of the IDS technique, after 40 days prechilling, 8 h drying at ambient conditions (16 ± 2°C and 50% HR), and 25% seed moisture content (mc), increased GE and GP to 68% and 89%, respectively. Optimal prechilling periods and the application of the IDS technique successfully improved germinability of ponderosa pine seeds from Patagonian stands.     

Seed Development, Maturation and Storage Behaviour of Mimusops elengi L.

Mass maturity (end of the seed-filling phase) occurred at about 72 days after flowering (DAF) in developing seeds of Mimusops elengi, at which time seed moisture content had declined to about 55%. The onset of ability to germinate was detected at 56 DAF and seeds showed 98% germination by 84 DAF. Tolerance of desiccation to 10% moisture content was first detected at 70 DAF and was maximal by 84 DAF. Delaying collection by a further 14 days to 98 DAF, when fruits began to be shed, reduced seed viability, particularly for seeds first dried to 10% moisture content. Hence the best time for seed collection appears to be about 14 days before fruits shed. In a separate investigation with six different seed lots, desiccation below about 8–12% moisture content reduced viability (considerably in some lots). The viability of dry seeds (below about 10% moisture content) stored hermetically was reduced at cool temperatures (5 °C and below), and none survived storage at sub-zero temperatures. The results suggest that Mimusops elengi shows intermediate seed storage behaviour and that the optimal hermetic seed storage environment is about 10% moisture content at 10 °C, while short-term, moist, aerated storage at high (40%) moisture content is also feasible.     

贮藏温度和时间对木棉与美丽异木棉种子活力的影响

利用木棉 Bombax ceiba 和美丽异木棉Chorisia speciosa混合种子,在0、4、和8℃条件下贮藏135d,每隔45 d测定一次种子场圃发芽率和活力指标,用2,3,5-三苯基氯化四氮唑法(TTC法)测定种子的初始和贮藏135 d的生活力。结果如下:木棉种子在相同贮藏温度条件下,随贮藏时间的延长,发芽率、发芽势、活力指数存在显著差异(P<0.05),贮藏温度和贮藏时间有极显著的交互作用,种子活力逐渐下降,贮藏135 d后种子发芽率在8.33%以下,基本失去发芽能力;美丽异木棉种子在不同温度下,随着贮藏时间延长,发芽率、发芽势、活力指数没有显著差异,贮藏温度和贮藏时间没有显著的交互作用,种子发芽率为新鲜种子发芽率的67.46%以上;利用TTC染色法(1.0%浓度)能反映出木棉的种子生活力;木棉种子0℃贮藏90 d发芽率好于4和8℃,可在生产中推广应用TTC染色法检测木棉的种子生活力;美丽异木棉种子0、4、8℃贮藏135 d的发芽率差异很小,0℃贮藏发芽率和活力指数较优。     

Cryopreservation of dormant orthodox seeds of forest trees: mazzard cherry (Prunus avium L.)

? The sensitivity of dormant seeds of mazzard cherry (Prunus avium L.) of Polish provenances to extreme desiccation and/or the ultra-low temperature of liquid nitrogen, LN (?196 °C), was investigated to identify the optimum seed water content (w.c.) at this temperature.

? Germination and seedling emergence tests in this study showed that there is no critical seed w.c. for deeply desiccated seeds (stone w.c. 1.6%), although such desiccated seeds were sensitive to the temperature of LN in the seedling emergence test. For seeds frozen in LN, the highest germinability was observed at w.c. of 9.0–16.9%, but seedling emergence was then significantly lower than in nonfrozen seeds. The 2-year of storage in LN of seeds desiccated to 7.8% w.c. did not decrease germinability after thawing, in comparison with 2-year of storage at ?3 °C. Storage in LN showed that if seeds were stored after breaking of their dormancy, germinability after storage was lower because of the necessity of seed desiccation to the lower level (～ 8%) of w.c. after stratification (before storage). Secondary dormancy was induced in seeds desiccated after stratification.

? The results of this study demonstrate the potential for long-term cryopreservation of mazzard cherry seeds in forest gene banks.

     

Effects of presowing treatments, desiccation and storage conditions on germination of Strychnos nux-vomica seeds, a valuable medicinal plant

Seeds of Strychnos nux-vomica have slow and erratic germination; thus different presowing treatments were applied to enhance the germination of its seeds collected from Tamaraikulam, Tamil Nadu, India. In addition, the effects of desiccation and different storage conditions on the germination of S. nux-vomica seeds were investigated. The results show that soaking in 500 ppm gibberellic acid (GA₃) for 24 h, incubation of seeds at 40 °C for 3 days and alternate water soaking (16 h) and drying (8 h) for 14 days significantly increased the percentage germination compared to the control. Desiccation of seeds down to 10% moisture content resulted in better germination. Germination of S. nux-vomica seeds differed significantly between different storage periods, moisture contents of the seed and for first and second order interactions (p<0.001). The highest germination (92%) was achieved when seeds with 10% moisture content were stored at ambient temperature for 30 weeks. Evidence from the present study indicates that S. nux-vomica seeds possess physiological dormancy that can be broken effectively by after-ripening. As seeds of S. nux-vomica are found to be desiccation tolerant, dry seed (10% moisture content) can be hermitically stored at ambient temperature for 30 weeks without losing their viability.     

Roles of gibberellins and abscisic acid in dormancy and germination of red bayberry (Myrica rubra) seeds

Intact seeds from freshly harvested fruits of Myrica rubra (Sieb et Zucc.) were dormant and required 8 weeks of warm stratification followed by 12 weeks of cold stratification for germination. Exogenous application of gibberellic acid (GA(3)) to intact fresh seeds was effective in breaking dormancy, with > 70% of seeds germinating when treated with 5.2 mM GA(3) and incubated at a day/night temperature of 30/20 degrees C for 20 weeks. Removing the hard endocarp or endocarp plus seed coat of fresh seeds promoted germination, and addition of GA(3) to the embryo accelerated germination. The gibberellins GA(1) and GA(4) were more effective than GA(3) in promoting germination of seeds with the endocarp removed. Endogenous contents of GA(1), GA(3), GA(4), GA(7) and GA(20) were quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-selected ion monitoring in the endocarps, seed coats and embryos of fresh seeds treated with 5.2 mM GA(3). The content of GA(3) decreased in the endocarp during incubation, whereas GA(1) contents increased in the endocarp and seed coat. A high GA(1) content was detected in the endocarps and embryos of newly germinated seeds. We speculate that GA(3) was converted to GA(1) during incubation and that GA(1) is involved in seed germination. Endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) contents were measured in fresh seeds and in warm and cold stratified seeds. The ABA content in fresh seeds was distributed in the order endocarp > seed coat > embryo, with the content in the endocarp being about 132-fold higher than in the seed coat and embryo. Total ABA content of seeds subjected to warm or cold stratification, or both, was 8.7- to 14.0-fold lower than that of fresh seeds. Low contents of endogenous GA(1), GA(3), GA(7) and GA(20), but elevated contents of GA(4), were found in the seed coats and endocarps of warm plus cold stratified seeds and in the seed coats and embryos of newly germinated seeds. These observations, coupled with the finding that GA stimulated germination of dormant Myrica seeds, provide evidence that endogenous ABA inhibited release of dormancy and that endogenous gibberellins, especially GA(4) or GA(1), or both, are involved in germination.     

Pre-sowing treatment for breaking dormancy in Acer velutinum Boiss. seed lots

Acer velutinum Boiss is a valuable tree species native to Iran, and its seeds possess physiological dormancy that hampers seedling production in the nursery for large-scale reforestation efforts. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal dormancy breaking treatments for A. velutinum seeds. We conducted a factorial experiment involving six seed lots collected along an elevation gradient from 300 to 1800 m at 300 m interval and four cold-moist stratification periods (0, 4, 8 and 16 weeks) at 4℃ and 70% relative humidity. The result shows that the germination of cold-moist stratified seeds was significantly (p < 0.0001) higher than the control for all seed lots. The highest germination capacity was recorded after 16 weeks of cold-moist stratification for all seed lots (68% 88% depending on the seed lot) except those collected from mid altitude sites (600 and 900 m) that germinated equally well (≥ 75%) after 4and 8-week of clod-moist stratification compared to the other seed lots. The mean germination time was significantly shorter (12 to 19 days, depending on the seed lot) for seeds stratified for 16 weeks than for untreated seeds. It can be concluded that: (1) cold-moist stratification for 16 weeks is the best pre-sowing treatment for breaking dormancy in A. velutinum seeds; and (2) seeds should be collected from mid altitude sites (600 and 900 m) to get more than 80% germination within 15 days, and these seed lots even required shorter cold-moist stratification period(eight weeks) than other seed lots.     

Effects of artificial environmental conditions on anatomical and physiological ripening of Pinus sylvestris L. seeds

To determine suitable conditions for artificial ripening of Scots pine seeds, cones collected on seven occasions between August 6 and November 26, 1990, in northern Sweden, were subjected to artificial ripening at different temperatures (+5°–+15°C) and cone moisture contents for 3–9 weeks. Complete physiological ripening and improved seed vigour were attained after artificial ripening if collection occurred no earlier than the beginning of September. The highest germination percentage after artificial ripening, ca 90%, was achieved for seeds collected after the anatomical ripening in nature had ceased and was at least as high as for seeds ripened in nature. Temperature did not influence ripening, whereas a low cone moisture content impaired ripening of those seeds collected earliest. The germination percentage was not influenced by 2–6 months of cone storage subsequent to artificial ripening, but seed vigour was impaired. Anatomical ripening during artificial ripening was very limited.     

Germination traits and adaptive regeneration strategies of the threeCarpinus species

Germination tests in the three sympatricCarpinus species,C. laxiflora, C. tshonoskii, andC. cordata, were carried out to clarify their germination traits in relation to the regeneration strategies. Seeds did not germinate just after ripening under any conditions in the three species. After one or two rounds of cold stratification, however,C. laxiflora andC. tshonoskii showed high germination percentages (>80%) at alternating temperature in light whileC. cordata did not. After a long-term (10 months) cold stratification, about 100% ofC. cordata seeds germinated, although about 70% of these seeds were in “conditional dormancy” and cannot germinate in the dark. Seed germination in the threeCarpinus species was enhanced by alternating temperature, but not by light exposure. These results suggest that the seeds of the three species are dormant just after ripening and the dormancy is broken by cold stratification. with intra-generic variations in the breakage. Germination traits in each species may be closely related to the regeneration strategy;C. cordata maintains a persistent seed bank with seed dormancy and regenerates after disturbances as a seed bank strategist, whereas the other two species germinate in the next spring after seedfall and regenerate depending either on existing disturbed-sites or sites of recent disturbances after seedling establishment as a seed rain strategist (C. tschonoskii) or seedling bank strategist (C. laxiflora). This study was supported by grants from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (BCP-97-III-A).     

Target seed moisture content,chilling and priming pretreatments influence germination temperature response in Alnus glutinosa and Betula pubescens

Abstract

The response of common alder [Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.] and downy birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.) seeds to germination temperature was examined following chilling and priming. Seeds of two seed lots of each species were subjected to combinations of chilling (4±1°C) and priming (20°C) treatments in fully imbibed (FI) state or a lower target seed moisture content (TMC) level (30% and 35% in alder and birch, respectively). After treatment, the seeds were allowed to germinate for 56 days at constant temperatures of 7.5, 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30°C. The response to temperature and pretreatment differed between species, but the effect was consistent in each seed lot within each species. In alder, the TMC seeds germinated well across the full range of temperatures, whereas there was an optimum temperature (22–23°C) for seeds given the FI pretreatment. Priming had no significant effect on the germination response of the TMC seeds in alder, but priming greatly improved germination in the FI seeds, especially at the lower germination temperatures (optimum 18–19°C). In contrast, in birch, the TMC seeds germinated better across the full temperature range, but the optimal germination temperature (15°C) was the same for all seed pretreatments. Priming improved germination in both the FI and TMC seeds in birch.