Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-8bhkd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T15:22:25.576Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Germination ecology of eleven species of Geraniaceae and Malvaceae, with special reference to the effects of drying seeds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 July 2007

Jozef. A. Van Assche  and
Filip E.A. Vandelook
Jozef. A. Van Assche*
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Plant Ecology, K.U. Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
Filip E.A. Vandelook
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Plant Ecology, K.U. Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
*
*Fax: +32 16 321968 Email: jozef.vanassche@bio.kuleuven.be
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Germination and survival of water-impermeable seeds of 11 species of Geraniaceae and Malvaceae were monitored during dry storage and during burial in soil for up to 2.5 years. During dry storage, seeds of annual Geraniaceae became permeable and also lost their physiological dormancy. However, during burial in natural conditions, most seeds remained impermeable and viable, with no seasonal change in germination capacity. Germination in only one species (Geranium robertianum) was enhanced by daily alternating temperatures when seeds were exhumed in spring. Drying of exhumed seeds broke physical dormancy. Seeds of the perennial Geranium pratense gradually became permeable in a prolonged germination test of 31 weeks. Most seeds of Malva remained impermeable during dry storage. Buried seeds gradually germinated in situ, and exhumed seeds had a low germination capacity in all seasons. We concluded that dormancy of hard seeds in natural conditions may be broken by drying during summer, by specific temperature regimes or by gradual softening of the seed coat, ensuring the spread of germination over many seasons.

Keywords

activated carbonafter-ripeningdormancyErodiumGeraniumMalvawinter annuals
Type
Research Analysis
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 16 , Issue 4 , December 2006 , pp. 283 - 290
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ballard, L.A.T. (1958) Studies of dormancy in the seeds of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.). 1. Breaking of dormancy by carbon dioxide and by activated carbon. Australian Journal of Biological Sciences 11, 246–260.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baskin, C.C. and Baskin, J.M. (1998) Seeds. Ecology, biogeography and evolution of dormancy and germination. San Diego, Academic Press.Google Scholar
Basking, J.M. and Baskin, C.C. (1974) Some eco-physiological aspects of seed dormancy in Geranium carolinianum L. from Central Tennessee. Oecologia 16, 209–219.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baskin, J.M. and Baskin, C.C. (2000) Evolutionary considerations of claims for physical dormancy-break by microbial action and abrasion by soil particles. Seed Science Research 10, 409–413.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baskin, J.M. and Baskin, C.C. (2004) A classification system for seed dormancy. Seed Science Research 14, 1–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baskin, J.M., Baskin, C.C. and Li, X.J. (2000) Taxonomy, anatomy and evolution of physical dormancy in seeds. Plant Species Biology 15, 139–152.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bouwmeester, H.J. and Karssen, C.M. (1993) Annual changes in dormancy and germination in seeds of Sisymbrium officinale (L.) Scop. New Phytologist 124, 179–191.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Christiansen, M.N. and Moore, R.P. (1959) Seed coat structural differences that influence water uptake and seed quality in hard seed cotton. Agronomy Journal 51, 582–584.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Egley, G.H. and Paul, R.N. (1981) Morphological observations on the early imbibition of water by Sida spinosa (Malvaceae) seed. American Journal of Botany 68, 1056–1065.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Egley, G.H., Paul, R.N. and Lax, A.R. (1986) Seed coat imposed dormancy: Histochemistry of the region controlling onset of water entry into Sida spinosa seeds. Physiologia Plantarum 67, 320–327.Google Scholar
Garrard, A. (1955) The germination and longevity of seeds in an equatorial climate. Gardens Bulletin (Singapore) 14, 534–545.Google Scholar
Grime, J.P., Mason, G., Curtis, A.V., Rodman, J., Band, S.R., Mowforth, M.A.G., Neal, A.M. and Shaw, S. (1981) A comparative study of germination characteristics in a local flora. Journal of Ecology 69, 1017–1059.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Karssen, C.M., Derkx, M.P.M. and Post, B.J. (1988) Study of seasonal variation in dormancy of Spergula arvensis L. seeds in a condensed annual temperature cycle. Weed Research 28, 449–457.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
La Croix, L.J. and Staniforth, D.W. (1964) Seed dormancy in velvetleaf. Weeds 12, 171–174.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meisert, A. (2002) Physical dormancy in Geraniaceae seeds. Seed Science Research 12, 121–128.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meisert, A., Schulz, D. and Lehmann, H. (1999) Structural features underlying hardseededness in Geraniaceae. Plant Biology 1, 311–314.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Probert, R.J. (2000) The role of temperature in the regulation of seed dormancy and germination. pp. 261–292in Fenner, M. (Ed.) Seeds: The ecology of regeneration in plant communities. Wallingford, CABI Publishing.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rice, K.J. (1985) Responses of Erodium to varying microsites: the role of germination cueing. Ecology 66, 1651–1657.Google Scholar
Roberts, H.A. (1986) Seed persistence in soil and seasonal emergence in plant species from different habitats. Journal of Applied Ecology 23, 639–656.Google Scholar
Roberts, H.A. and Boddrell, J.E. (1984) Seed survival and seasonal emergence of seedlings of some ruderal plants. Journal of Applied Ecology 21, 617–628.Google Scholar
Roberts, H.A. and Boddrell, J.E. (1985) Seed survival and seasonal emergence in some species of Geranium, Ranunculus and Rumex. Annals of Applied Biology 107, 231–238.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sokal, R.R. and Rohlf, F.J. (1997) Biometry. The principles and practice of statistics in biological research. New York, W.H. Freeman.Google Scholar
Taylor, G.B. (1981) Effect of constant temperature treatments followed by fluctuating temperatures on the softening of hard seeds of Trifolium subterraneum L. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 8, 547–558.Google Scholar
Telewski, F.W. and Zeevaart, J.A.D. (2002) The 120-yr period for Dr. Beal's seed viability experiment. American Journal of Botany 89, 1285–1288.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Van Assche, J.A., Debucquoy, K.L.A. and Rommens, W.A.F. (2003) Seasonal cycles in the germination capacity of buried seeds of some Leguminosae (Fabaceae). New Phytologist 158, 315–323.Google Scholar
Winter, D.M. (1960) The development of the seed of Abutilon theophrasti. II. Seed coat. American Journal of Botany 47, 157–162.Google Scholar
Young, J.A., Evans, R.A. and Kay, B.L. (1975) Dispersal and germination dynamics of broadleaf filaree, Erodium botrys (Cav.) Bertol. Agronomy Journal 67, 54–57.CrossRefGoogle Scholar