Effects of seed age, germination temperature, gibberellic acid and stratification on germination of Silene compacta

Germination of muscadine seed has frequently been low and irregular in the University of Georgia breeding program. A systematic study was undertaken to determine the best seed treatments and germination conditions for muscadine seed. Open-pollinated seeds of ‘Fry’ muscadine were used for all treatments. Stratification of seeds was performed by placing dry seed in damp vermiculite at 4 °C for periods of 0, 30, 60, and 90 d. The 90-d stratification period gave the highest germination percentage, with successively lower germination in the shorter stratification treatments. Pretreatment of seeds before stratification with three rates (0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 M) of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and four rates (1, 2, 4, and 8 g·L−1) of gibberellic acid (GA3) were used in an attempt to promote germination. Low rates of H2O2 (0.5 M) and GA3 (1 g·L−1) were beneficial in some instances, whereas high rates of GA3 were detrimental. Nicking the seedcoats before stratification and soaking seeds in running water after stratification were ineffective in promoting germination. Germination temperatures of 32/22 °C (8 h/16 h) were superior to 22/22, 27/22, and 37/22 °C.

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Effects of seed age and dormancy-breaking treatments on the viability and germination of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence aster (Symphyotrichum laurentianum)

Botany ◽

10.1139/cjb-2019-0049 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 97 (12) ◽

pp. 699-705

Author(s):

Annika Kelly ◽

Christian Lacroix

Keyword(s):

Gibberellic Acid ◽

Seed Bank ◽

Prince Edward Island ◽

Combined Treatment ◽

Hormone Treatment ◽

Dormancy Breaking ◽

High Viability ◽

Seed Age ◽

The University

The Gulf of St. Lawrence aster, Symphyotrichum laurentianum (Fernald) G.L.Nesom (Asteraceae), is a threatened halophyte found only in parts of Atlantic Canada, and seeds are being stored in the seed bank located at the University of Prince Edward Island. It is important to assess the quality of the seeds in storage to ensure their usefulness in the conservation of the species. We tested the effects of seed age on the viability and germination potential of seeds currently held in the seed bank and the effect of dormancy-breaking treatments on germination. Seeds produced in six different years were tested using the tetrazolium test and standard germination tests. Our results show high viability for seeds from all years but relatively low germination, with no clear relationship between germinability and seed age, indicating that the potential for these seeds to germinate may depend on other factors. To test the usefulness of dormancy-breaking treatments, seeds were subjected to a cold moist treatment or a hormone treatment of gibberellic acid, kinetin, or a combination of the two. All of the treatments significantly enhanced germination by comparison with the control, with the combined treatment of gibberellic acid and kinetin being the most effective at stimulating germination.

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INCREASED STAND ESTABLISHMENT OF IMPATIENS WALLERANA IN RESPONSE TO MAXIMIZED GERMINATION RATES

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/cjps80-036 ◽

1980 ◽

Vol 60 (1) ◽

pp. 259-264 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

JOHN SIMMONDS

Keyword(s):

Gibberellic Acid ◽

Temperature Dependence ◽

Seedling Establishment ◽

Continuous Light ◽

Strong Temperature Dependence ◽

Strong Positive Correlation ◽

Light Requirement ◽

Stand Establishment ◽

Germination Temperature ◽

Impatiens Wallerana

Substantial differences in germination rates of 10 Impatiens wallerana cultivars were demonstrated. Over the temperature range 15–30 °C, germination curves of the fast-germinating cultivars showed strong temperature dependence, whereas the slow-germinating cultivars showed only minor responses to temperature. The optimum germination temperature for all cultivars was 25 °C. Although continuous light (1200 lx) significantly enhanced germination, the degree of response was relatively small and cultivar-specific. Gibberellic acid (3 × 10−5 to 1.5 × 10−3 M) could substitute for the light requirement in these cultivars. A strong positive correlation between the rate of germination and the level of seedling establishment was demonstrated.

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