Effect of different pre-sowing seed treatments on the germination of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Leucaena leucocephala</Emphasis> (Lam.) and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acacia farnesiana</Emphasis> (L.)

Leucaena leucocephala and Acacia farnesiana are tree species used for several agricultural purposes in the Mediterranean region. The seeds of these species exhibit dormancy, causing delayed germination. Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of pre-sowing treatments (scarification, hot water, or soaking) on seed germination of L. leucocephala and A. farnesiana. In one experiment, seeds were exposed to three pre-sowing treatments: control, sandpaper scarification, or soaking in 70°C water for 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, or 24 min. In another experiment, seeds were soaked in 70°C water for 20 min, and then soaked in water at room temperature for an additional 24, 48, or 72 h or blade scarified. In general, soaking the seeds of the two species in hot water was more effective in breaking seed dormancy than scarification. Sandpaper scarification was not effective for either species. Blade scarification increased A. farnesiana seed germination to 56%, indicating that seed dormancy was mainly a consequence of hardseededness. L. leucocephala seeds collected from Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) site and soaked in 70°C water for 20 min and then soaked for 24, 48, or 72 h had germination rates above 97%. Our results suggest that blade scarification of A. farnesiana seeds and soaking of L. leucocephala seeds in 70°C water for 20 min are effective treatments to break seed dormancy and enhance seed germination of these vital species.     

Enhancement of seed germination in Macaranga peltata for use in tropical forest restoration

We used pre-sowing treatments v/z., soaking seeds in concen- trated sulphudc acid （CSA）, gibberellic acid （GA）, combined treatment of CSA ＋ GA and mechanical scarification to overcome seed dormancy and enhance synchronous germination of Macaranga peltata seeds. We analysed percent seed germination data by logistic regression and con- finned that except in GA treatment, time and acid concentration together were crucial for enhancing germination. The combination treatment of CSA and GA resulted in higher percent germination （up to 74%） than either treatment used separately, but produced defective seedlings （26%）. Mechanical scarification of seed coat had the greatest impact in enhanc- ing germination （78%） and reducing imbibition time （6 days） against the control （0%）. Germination studies and SEM analysis confirmed that seed germination in M. peltata was inhibited by seed coat dormancy.     

温水及生长调节剂处理对杜仲种子发芽率的影响

为了打破杜仲种子休眠,提高其发芽率,研究了温水浸种、植物生长调节剂浓度配比以及不同浸泡时间对杜仲种子催芽的影响。结果显示:50℃温水浸种和6-BA 100mg!L-1浸种均能显著提高杜仲种子的发芽率,其中6-BA100mg!L-1的催芽效果最好,发芽率达88%,比对照组高28%,发芽势为80%,比对照组高34%;其次,50℃、100mg!L-1IBA和150mg!L-1 GA3发芽率均达80%。     

Germination ecology of twelve indigenous and eight exotic multipurpose leguminous species from Ethiopia

The germination requirements of seeds of 20 leguminous species were studied in three experiments. In the first experiment, seeds were subjected to mechanical scarification, sulphuric acid and boiling water treatments. In the second experiment, they were treated with dry heat at 60, 80 and 100°C. In the third experiment, seeds were placed at different temperature regimes (10, 15, 20, 25 and 30°C) on a thermogradient. Sulphuric acid treatment improved germination in all the species while mechanical scarification improved germination in 18 out of 20 species. Boiling water treatment improved germination in 15 species but proved to be lethal to five species. Similarly, germination was significantly improved in 11 out of 16 species treated with dry heat. Germination was faster and higher at both 25°C and 30°C and the optimum temperature for germination was between 20°C and 30°C for all the species. Mechanical scarification, sulphuric acid and boiling water treatments as well as dry heat were effective to overcome seed coat imposed dormancy in the species studied. It was not possible to recommend a treatment which is equally effective for all the species. However, boiling water is a practical method for achieving rapid, uniform and high germination except in five of the species for which it proved to be lethal. In the latter case, either mechanical scarification or sulphuric acid treatment should be used. Seeds of Millettia ferruginea should be sown when they are fresh to get high germination as they tend to lose their viability during storage. Results from the present study show that once the dormancy in leguminous species with hard seed coats is broken, the seeds germinate in wide ranges of temperature.     

Optimal and synchronized germination of Robinia pseudoacacia,Acacia dealbata and other woody Fabaceae using a handheld rotary tool:concomitant reduction of physical and physiological seed dormancy

The Fabaceae(legume family) is one of the largest families of plants with a worldwide distribution and a major role in agriculture and in agroforestry.A hard seed coat impermeable to water is a typical feature of several species.Physical dormancy delays and reduces germination so that mechanical,physical and chemical scarification methods have been classically used to break seed dormancy of many species.We evaluate the effectiveness of a methodology to scarify seeds of several woody Fabaceae of ecological and economical importance,including Robinia pseudoacacia and Acacia dealbata and the shrubs Cytisus scoparius,C.multiflorus and Ulex europaeus.We describe the optimized use of a handheld rotary tool(HRT),and compare its effectiveness with other scarification methods reported to break dormancy such as boiling or dry heating.Total germination and/or speed of germination were enhanced after the application of the HRT,with germination percentages significantly higher than those achieved by other methods of scarification.Based on a thorough literature review,a mode of action for the HRT is suggested which could operate by breaking the physical and physiological dormancy of treated seeds through thecombined action of coat abrasion and moderate temperatures.Considering these results,we recommend the application of this rapid,effective,low-cost and highly reproducible HRT method to break seed dormancy and enhance germination of these species and others with similar dormancy constraints.     

Optimal and synchronized germination of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Robinia pseudoacacia</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acacia dealbata</Emphasis> and other woody Fabaceae using a handheld rotary tool: concomitant reduction of physical and physiological seed dormancy

The Fabaceae (legume family) is one of the largest families of plants with a worldwide distribution and a major role in agriculture and in agroforestry. A hard seed coat impermeable to water is a typical feature of several species. Physical dormancy delays and reduces germination so that mechanical, physical and chemical scarification methods have been classically used to break seed dormancy of many species. We evaluate the effectiveness of a methodology to scarify seeds of several woody Fabaceae of ecological and economical importance, including Robinia pseudoacacia and Acacia dealbata and the shrubs Cytisus scoparius, C. multiflorus and Ulex europaeus. We describe the optimized use of a handheld rotary tool (HRT), and compare its effectiveness with other scarification methods reported to break dormancy such as boiling or dry heating. Total germination and/or speed of germination were enhanced after the application of the HRT, with germination percentages significantly higher than those achieved by other methods of scarification. Based on a thorough literature review, a mode of action for the HRT is suggested which could operate by breaking the physical and physiological dormancy of treated seeds through the combined action of coat abrasion and moderate temperatures. Considering these results, we recommend the application of this rapid, effective, low-cost and highly reproducible HRT method to break seed dormancy and enhance germination of these species and others with similar dormancy constraints.     

东北地区刺楸种子解除休眠及催芽育苗的研究

通过不同试验材料、GA3应用和变温层积催芽对比试验,对刺楸种子解除休眠进行研究的结果表明:鲜种+GA3+(15℃,30 d;冷冻,90 d;-4~0℃,90 d)处理方法发芽率达到90.2%,出苗率达到81.5%;气干种温水(72 h)+GA3+(13~18℃,90 d;0~4℃,90 d)处理方法发芽率达到76.3%,出苗率达到66.4%。采用鲜种进行变温催芽处理对刺楸种子发芽率、出苗率和1年生苗木质量提高具有显著作用(p<0.01和p<0.05)。研究表明,刺楸种子属于形态-生理休眠类型,采用鲜种+GA3+变温层积催芽的综合处理方法能有效解除刺楸种子休眠。     

Effects of different treatments on seed germination and breaking seed dormancy of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Prosopis koelziana</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Prosopis Juliflora</Emphasis>

For improving seed germination of Prosopis koelziana and Prosopis juliflora, different treatments of seeds were conducted, including scarification with sulfuric acid 98% for 10 and 15 min, sandy paper, hot water for 5 and 10 min, potasium nitrate 0.1%, gibberellic acid at 250 mg·L⁻¹ and 500 mg·L⁻¹ and combinational treatment of scarification with gibberellic acid of 250 mg·L⁻¹ and 500 mg·L⁻¹. The results show that scarifications with sandy paper and sulfuric acids 98% were the most effective treatments on breaking seed dormancy and seed germination induction. Scarification with sulfuric acid 98% for 15 min was the best treatment. According to the positive effect of scarification and lack of reaction of seeds against KNO₃ and gibberellic acid, the kind of seed dormancy was determined as exogenous.     

Overcoming seed dormancy of mooseer (Allium hirtifolium) through cold stratification, gibberellic acid, and acid scarification

Mooseer(Allium hirtifolium Boiss.) is bulbous perennial herb widely used in pharmaceutical and food industry in Iran.We studied germination of mooseer seeds in two separate experiments.In the first experiment,we evaluated four treatments:sulfuric acid scarification,sandpaper scarification,cold stratification,and gibberellic acid(GA 3) application.In the second experiment,we evaluated combinations of these treatments.All treatments in the first experiment had no effect on seed germination,suggesting that mooseer seeds have physical and physiological dormancy.In the second experiment,the highest germination percentage(86.6%) was observed after five minutes scarification with sulfuric acid(75% v/v),followed by 60 days of cold stratification.Duration of sulfuric acid scarification(5,10,and 20 min) did not affect germination rates,but increasing duration of cold stratification(from 15 to 60 days),increased germination from 28.3% to 86.6%.Our study showed that mooseer seeds have both physical and physiological dormancy.     

The effect of different pre-sowing seed treatments, temperature and light on the germination of five Senna species from Ethiopia

The germination requirements of five Senna species: S. bicapsularis, S. didymobotrya, S. multiglandulosa, S. occidentalis and S. septemtrionalis have been investigated. Seeds possess dormancy which is caused by their hard seed coats hampering maximum, uniform and rapid germination. To overcome this dormancy, seeds of the five species were pre-treated with (a) mechanical scarification, (b) concentrated sulphuric acid for 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes and (c) boiling water for 15, 30, 45 and 60 seconds. To determine the effects of temperature on the germination of seeds, pre-treated seeds from each species were incubated at 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30°C. Germination was also tested in the dark. Both acid treatment and mechanical scarification resulted in fast and uniform germination. The highest germination (95–100%) for all species was obtained from seeds treated with sulphuric acid for 60 minutes. Mechanical scarification resulted in 100% germination in all the species except S. septemtrionalis (59%). Boiling water improved germination significantly in S. didymobotrya (98%), S. occidentalis (82%) and S. septemtrionalis (97%), but had very little effect on S. multiglandulosa and reduced germination in S. bicapsularis. Senna seeds germinated over a wide range of temperatures with the optimum temperatures for germination falling around 20–25°C. Germination was either completely inhibited or very low at 10°C. Seeds of all species germinated both in light and dark conditions.     

不同处理对野皂荚与皂荚种子发芽的影响

野皂荚(Gleditsia microphylla)和皂荚(Gleditsia sinensis)的种子坚硬,种皮透水性差,自然条件下萌发困难,发芽率和成苗率低。为此,本文探讨了实验室条件下不同机械破皮位置(子叶顶端、中部、胚根端)、不同浸种温度(25°C、37°C、42°C)和不同土质类型(黏土、沙土、营养土)对两种皂荚属种子发芽率的影响。试验结果表明:在胚根端进行机械破皮、37°C水浴浸种8 h或16 h和黏土中萌发处理的种子发芽率和成苗率最高,野皂荚种子平均发芽率达88.33%,皂荚种子的发芽率达94.33%,且出苗整齐一致。     

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.     

引发处理对南亚松种子萌发的影响

采用不同浸泡时间、催芽温度以及不同浓度的CaCl2和GA3对南亚松（Pinus latteri）种子进行引发处理,研究不同处理对南亚松种子萌发及活力的影响。结果表明：采用0.5 mg/L的GA3浸种24 h,于30℃恒温箱催芽是促进南亚松种子萌发的最佳处理方法,CaCl2不适合用于南亚松种子的引发处理。     

胡枝子属种子萌发特性试验

以8个种子样品(种、种源)的胡枝子种子进行热水处理、浓硫酸酸蚀处理,探索破除种子硬实促进萌发的适合方法。结果表明:胡枝子种子千粒质量越小则硬实率越高,浓硫酸酸蚀处理较热水浸泡处理能显著提高胡枝子种子发芽率与发芽整齐度。应根据种子大小确定种子酸蚀处理时间,分别为小粒种子(截叶胡枝子)适合处理时间为10 min以下、中粒种子(中华胡枝子、达乌里胡枝子、多花胡枝子)为10～15 min、大粒种子(二色胡枝子、美丽胡枝子)15～20 min。     

八棱海棠种子解除休眠方法的研究

对八棱海棠种子分别进行赤霉素溶液浸泡处理、低温裸层积、低温层积以及赤霉素与低温层积结合等处理,而后进行发芽试验,统计分析发芽率、发芽势和发芽指数等指标.结果表明:赤霉素溶液浸泡不能完全打破种子休眠;低温层积是解除种子休眠的有效方法,层积80 d后,即可解除种子休眠;赤霉素溶液浸泡后,再低温层积可显著缩短层积时间.     

油松种子“引动”处理对发芽效果的影响

试验测定了不同化学药物、浓度、浸泡时间和单纯用水浸泡渗透处理对油松种子发芽的影响。结果表明,阿司匹林、赤霉素、聚乙二醇对油松种子发芽有显著的促进作用,经过3种药物处理的种子在室温11~14℃的情况下,第6天或第7天开始发芽,对照第9天发芽;发芽势（第10天的发芽率）经过处理的在22%以上,高者可达31%,而对照仅为8.3%。单用自来水做渗透引动处理也能提高油松种子的发芽势和发芽率。     

Effect of different seed treatments on dormancy breaking and germination in three species in arid and semi-arid lands

Seeds of many woody plant species have one of several types of dormancy. They do not germinate unless specific environmental signals are in place or events occur. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of scarification treatments on seed dormancy and germination of Acacia nilotica (L.) Willd. ex Del., Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC. and Dodonaea viscosa (L.) Jacq. The following treatments were applied: T1, untreated seed (control); T2, sulphuric acid (97%) for 45 min; T3, boiling water for 5 min. The seeds were cultured on a Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium after sterilization. The responses of seeds to treatments were compared with each other and with the control treatment. Germination was observed daily for a 30-day period. Results indicated positive responses to treatments, while impermeable seed coats may be responsible for low germination rates in intact seeds as seen experimentally in the untreated control. The highest germination was obtained for P. juliflora and D. viscosa acid-scarified seeds (80.8%-90.8%) and for scarified seeds of A. nilotica (50.2%) boiled in water. The germination indices, i.e., final germination percentage (FG), mean daily germination (MDG) and germination rate (GR), were significantly affected by treatments and species (p<0.01).     

不同处理对厚朴种子发芽率的影响

为提高厚朴种子发芽率,采用不同温度的水和不同化学药剂浸种处理,比较各处理对厚朴种子催芽效果。结果表明:65℃温水和100mg·L~(-1)的赤霉素浸泡处理均能显著促进厚朴种子的发芽率,可使种子发芽率从31%提高至80%以上。     

濒危树种极东锦鸡儿(Caragana fruticosa)种子的萌发特性

以濒危树种极东锦鸡儿成熟种子为材料,研究极东锦鸡儿种子物理性状和温度对其种子萌发及幼苗生长的影响。结果表明:极东锦鸡儿种荚结实率较低,且约有1/4种子受虫害;成熟种子含水量为6.6%,千粒重18.6 g。种子长、宽和厚存在一定变异。种子长度平均为0.42 cm,宽度平均为0.27 cm,厚度平均为0.24 cm,长宽比为0.64。种皮透水性良好。不同温度条件对种子发芽率具有极显著影响。25℃条件下种子发芽率最高,为38.33%。随着温度的升高或降低,种子发芽率降低。发芽试验的第八天是计算种子发芽势的适宜时期。不同温度条件对极东锦鸡儿幼苗高度的影响极显著,对胚根长度影响显著。25℃有利于幼苗高度和胚根长度的增加,较高温度(30℃)有利于幼苗生物量增加。     

4种槭树种子的休眠原因及催芽方法试验

乡土树种鸡爪槭、色木槭、元宝枫和美国红枫等4个树种的种子都具有显著的休眠特性。采用人工介入手段进行休眠原因和催芽技术试验研究,结果表明:这4种槭树种子的种皮含有的化学物质和机械性阻碍导致了槭树种子的休眠;采用层积处理和GA3赤霉素浸种,能明显缩短种子的休眠期;彻底解除供试种子的休眠方法就是延长浸种沙藏层积的时间。措施,对保证育苗生产,提高出苗率和出苗整齐度有一定的研究价值。文章从层积处理和赤霉素处理入手,研究不同条件下催芽处理的效果,以此解释休眠的原因。