The effect of seed size on seedling growth in subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.)

1972 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 595 ◽  
Author(s):  
GB Taylor

The effect of seed size on seedling growth in a single population of Daliak subterranean clover was studied by growing individually weighed seeds to the third trifoliate leaf stage in three controlled environments. The environments were: 18°C at high light intensity (27,000 lux), 12° at high light intensity, and 18° at low light intensity (5400 lux). Plant weight at emergence exceeded the weight of embryo in the original seed, owing in part to the utilization of endosperm. At emergence the ratio of plant weight to seed weight increased with increasing seed size. Nevertheless, in all environments the smaller seeds ultimately produced relatively larger plants owing to a higher relative growth rate, particularly during the cotyledon and unifoliate leaf stage of growth. Higher relative growth rates in seedlings from smaller seeds were associated with higher leaf area ratios resulting from the production of relatively larger cotyledon and individual leaf areas in all environments. More rapid leaf expansion in seedlings from larger seeds progressively offset this advantage.

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hattori Daisuke ◽  
Kenzo Tanaka ◽  
Kendawang Joseph Jawa ◽  
Ninomiya Ikuo ◽  
Sakurai Katsutoshi

To develop rehabilitation planting techniques in tropical degraded forests, we investigated (1) basic soil characteristics and light conditions; (2) growth and survival of seven dipterocarp seedlings over 81 months; and (3) the effect of environmental factors on the survival of seedlings grown in three degraded vegetations (grassland, secondary forest, and logged forest) in Sarawak, Malaysia. The soil was weakly acidic, and kaolin minerals dominated. The amount of exchangeable bases in surface soils, soil temperature (>35°C), and relative light intensity were all highest in the grassland. Seedling growth was also highest in the grassland, whereas many seedlings died there over 81 months. Growth and survivability were very similar in secondary and logged forests. The death of the seedlings in the grassland was attributable to an extremely high light intensity for all species. In contrast, the seedling growth rate in all species was also enhanced by light intensity. In conclusion, dipterocarp seedlings can be planted on highly degraded land such as grassland, although high light intensity limits their survival. Planting under nurse trees such as regenerated pioneer trees may be an effective method to enhance seedling survival under open conditions such as grassland.


Author(s):  
Marcilio Fagundes ◽  
Pablo Cuevas-Reyes ◽  
Walter S. Araujo ◽  
Mauricio L. Faria ◽  
Henrique M. Valerio ◽  
...  

Background and Aims: Environmental factors can interact with plant life history to determinate the reproductive strategies of adult plants and seedling recruitment. We expect that widely distributed tree species produce heavier seed and with greater variation in seed size than shrubs of restricted geographic distribution. We also predict that widely distributed tree species should be capable to germinate and develop under variable range of light conditions, while sun-adapted shrubs should germinate and develop better under high light intensity. We used as models two congeneric species of Fabaceae. Copaifera langsdorffii is a widely distributed arboreal species and C oblongifolia is a shrub with restricted distribution. Methods: Seeds were collected from two plant species in a Cerrado vegetation area, northern Minas Gerais, Brazil. The effects of light available on seed germination and seedling development was conducted in a germination chamber with controlled photoperiod, temperature and light intensity.Key results: The widely distributed tree (C. langsdorffii) had greater seed mass than the shrub (C. oblongifolia). Seeds of C. langsdorffii germinated faster under available high light, while the shrub C. oblongifolia seeds required less time to germinate under available low light and darkness. Under high light intensity, germination percentage of C. langsdorffii and C. oblongifolia seeds did not vary. However, seeds of the shrub showed a higher germination percentage under low light intensity and darkness. In general, seed mass showed a negative relationship with germination percentage, but this relationship varied in function of species and the availability of light. Copaifera langsdorffii seedlings had larger shoots and roots than C. oblongifolia. In contrast, the root:shoot ratio was higher in shrub than in tree species.Conclusions: Our results have important implications for understanding the patterns of distribution of two Copaifera species and explain the ability of C. oblongifolia to colonize disturbed areas.


2009 ◽  
Vol 34 (12) ◽  
pp. 2196-2201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xue-Li QI ◽  
Lin HU ◽  
Hai-Bin DONG ◽  
Lei ZHANG ◽  
Gen-Song WANG ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 129 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amritpal S. Singh ◽  
A. Maxwell P. Jones ◽  
Mukund R. Shukla ◽  
Praveen K. Saxena

Ethology ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 118 (4) ◽  
pp. 341-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esteban Fernández-Juricic ◽  
Marcella Deisher ◽  
Amy C. Stark ◽  
Jacquelyn Randolet

Weed Science ◽  
1970 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 509-514 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lafayette Thompson ◽  
F. W. Slife ◽  
H. S. Butler

Corn(Zea maysL.) in the two to three-leaf stage grown 18 to 21 days in a growth chamber under cold, wet conditions was injured by postemergence application of 2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)-s-triazine (atrazine) plus emulsifiable phytobland oil. Injury was most severe when these plants were kept under cold, wet conditions for 48 hr after the herbicidal spray was applied, followed by exposure to high light intensity and high temperature. Under these growth chamber conditions, approximately 50% of the atrazine-treated plants died. Since wet foliage before and after application increased foliar penetration and low temperature decreased the rate of detoxication to peptide conjugates, atrazine accumulated under cold, wet conditions. This accumulation of foliarly-absorbed atrazine and the “weakened” conditions of the plants grown under the stress conditions is believed to be responsible for the injury to corn. Hydroxylation and the dihydroxybenzoxazin-3-one content in the roots were reduced at low temperature, but it is unlikely that this contributed to the death of the corn.


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