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Seed storage behaviour of Fagus sylvatica and Fagus crenata

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2007

Pedro León-Lobos  and
Richard H. Ellis
Pedro León-Lobos
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, The University of Reading, Earley Gate, PO Box 237, Reading RG6 6AR, UK
Richard H. Ellis*
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, The University of Reading, Earley Gate, PO Box 237, Reading RG6 6AR, UK
*
*Correspondence Fax: 44 118 931 8297 Email: r.h.ellis@reading.ac.uk
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Abstract

The seed storage behaviour of Fagus sylvatica and F. crenata was investigated. A large fraction of seeds of both species survived desiccation to about 3% moisture content (MC) (in equilibrium with 10% relative humidity at 20°C). Nevertheless, viability was reduced significantly and progressively by desiccation from 14% to 3% MC. In addition, during subsequent hermetic storage at constant temperatures of 20 to –20°C in F. sylvaticaand 10 to –20°C in F. crenata seeds, viability was lost more rapidly with reduction in MC below about 7.6–11.5% (40–71%relative humidity at 20°C). Thus, Fagus sylvatica and F. crenataexhibited intermediate seed storage behaviour. Survival at –20°C with 7.8–11.5% (F. sylvatica) and 7.6% MC (F. crenata) was comparatively good, with 64–84% of seeds remaining able to germinate normally after 2 years of hermetic storage, although this was neither appreciably better nor worse than at 0–10°C. Optimum seed storage environments, within the range investigated, were provided by combining temperatures of –10 to –20°C with 7.8–11.5% (F. sylvatica) or 7.6–9.5%(F. crenata) MC.

Keywords

Fagus sylvaticaFagus crenatadesiccationseed storage behaviourorthodoxintermediate
Type
Research Article
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 12 , Issue 1 , March 2002 , pp. 31 - 37
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2002

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