Response of biotester Lepidium sativum to the effects of native herb extracts and phytoinvader Solidago canadensis

The effects of aqueous extracts from aboveground parts of Solidago canadensis L. as well as from dominant species of four main succession stages on the degraded forest soils of the Kemerovo region (Filipendula ulmaria, Chamaenerion angustifolium, Cirsium setosum, Poa pratensis) on the germinating capacity and speed of Lepidium sativum seeds were investigated. It was showed that Solidago canadensis and Filipendula ulmaria have the greatest effect on the reduction of germinating capacity of Lepidium sativum seeds.

In vitro culture of Nonea pulla DC. seeds.

Nonea pulla DC. is a promising perennial medicinal plant growing in the Crimea. Controlled in vitro cultivation of nonea seeds allows improving the up-to-date techniques of seedlings preparation. The conducted experiments confirmed the low germinating capacity of seeds (5–9 %). To increase this parameter and to speed up the introduction process, we investigated the Nonea pulla in vitro culture. The initial phases of germination were expectedly observed during seeds cultivation. The seed swelling, rupture of pericarp and seed hull, release of germ with cotyledons, dehiscence of cotyledons were detected. Moreover, in some cases, no subsequent development was observed. However, normal germs formed in 60% of cases. Seeds also sprouted without the prior cold stratification. For the following growth, plants required a relatively simple culture medium. The maximum development conditions were reached after 1.0–1.5 months of in vitro cultivation (26±2 °С, illuminance of 2000–3000 lux, 16-hour photoperiod).

Ecotoxicity of In-Situ Produced Compost Intended for Landfill Restoration

Municipal solid waste (MSW) has become a matter of increasing global concern. Biological conversion is considered to be the most applicable disposal method, especially for the organic fraction of MSW. The aim of this study was to evaluate composting as a treatment method for the sustainable management and recycling of MSW and to test the ecotoxicity of the compost produced on the landfill surface. The ecotoxicity of the compost was investigated by means of a set of biological tests. The ecotoxicological impact of the compost was evaluated by plant growth tests with white mustard (Sinapis alba L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Plants were grown under controlled conditions for 21 days, in earthen pots, treated with MSW compost (MSWC) to study the effect of MSWC on plant biomass production. Sprouts and the number of growing plants occurring in the earthen pots were counted. The values obtained from three simultaneously conducted experiments were averaged and presented. Plants growing in the earthen pots with the compost exhibited increasing plant biomass while no changes were observed in their appearance; retarded growth or necrotic changes were not recorded. The ecotoxicity tests performed show that the analyzed compost produced in the composting plant situated on the landfill surface achieved high percentages of the germinating capacity of white mustard (Sinapis alba L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) seeds and can be therefore used in the subsequent reclamation of the landfill concerned.

Drought resistance of Astragalus cicer and A. sulcatus at the initial stages of plants development

The article considers laboratory evaluation methods of water stress influence on the initial stages of Astragalus cicer and A. sulcatus development by seeds ability to germinate in osmotic sucrose solutions, characteristics of radicles and depression of shoots growth processes induced by the solution osmotic pressure. Osmoregulatory characteristics of seeds are estimated. It was ascertained that the rise in solution osmotic pressure up to 2 atm leads to a twofold and fivefold decrease in seeds germinating capacity in A. cicer and A. sulcatus respectively. At the sucrose concentration level of 4 atm, seeds do not germinate at all. Strong concentrations of osmotic solutions cause the depression of shoots growth processes and the reduction of astragaluses dry biomass.

The effect of fertilizer seed coating on the germinating capacity and initial development of some turf grass species and white clover

The effect of the iSeed method treatment on germination dynamics, total germinating capacity and the length of above-ground and root parts was studied in laboratory conditions for the Red fescue varieties Darwin and Moccasin, Kentucky bluegrass varieties Yvette and Miracle, Perennial ryegrass varieties Beatrice and Milan, and White clover varieties Pirouette and Pipolina. In the Perennial ryegrass, the iSeed treatment adversely affected the energy of germination in the first days of study. The germinating capacity gradually equalized during the experiment. Red fescue and Kentucky bluegrass did not show any response to the treatment. Similarly as the Perennial ryegrass, the two varieties of White clover exhibited higher energy of germination on the third day from the establishment. A demonstrably positive effect of the iSeed treatment was recorded on the number of germinated individuals. Particularly the variety Pirouette showed significantly higher germinating capacity until the tenth day of monitoring the treated seeds. The iSeed method had no statistically significant influence on the values of total germinating capacity in all tested species and varieties. The effect of the iSeed method treatment on the length of shoot and root parts was not statistically demonstrated. Some varieties showed a positive effect and some showed a negative effect. A significant difference was observed only in the untreated variety Moccasin whose above-ground part was by 14 mm longer as compared with the treated variant.

The effect of seed age and treatment by Proradix method on germinability and initial growth of selected meadow grass (Poa pratensis) varieties

The goal of the study conducted in 2008 and 2010 at the Research Forage Production Station in Vatín was to investigate the influence of seed age and seed treatment by Proradix method on the germination dynamics, total germinating capacity and initial growth rate of selected meadow grass varieties. The testing was carried out in controlled conditions on the germinator. Our results indicate that the age of seed significantly affects both the germination dynamics and the total germinating capacity. On day 7 after the establishment of the trial, a significantly higher germinating capacity was observed in the 4-year old seed (33.3%) as compared with the 2-year old seed (17.4%). Nevertheless, from day 13, higher germination values were recorded in the younger seed and its total achieved germinating capacity was significantly higher too (+7.2%). Interesting was a finding that the older seed of most varieties showed a more readily oncoming germination, which may play a quite important role in some cases namely in meadow grass, which is known by slow initial growth. The older seed exhibited significantly lower values of both above-ground biomass and the biomass of roots. The Proradix method appeared as efficient in boosting the total germinating capacity. It significantly increased germination rate as well as total germinating capacity. At the same time, a positive effect was observed of treatment by this method on the length of both shoot and root parts; the difference was statistically insignificant though.

Breaking the long dormancy of seeds of the Cornus mas L. species

The present study was focused on breaking the long dormancy of harvested and treated seed of the Cornelian cherry. We used stratification, which accelerates ripening, enables rapid termination of dormancy and removes all obstacles to germination. The seeds were obtained from three localities (Tišnov, Lednice, Žabčice). Prior to stratification the seeds were soaked in water for 24 hours and then three stages of treatment were applied; 1st control stage – cold stratification, 2nd warm-cold stage – five-phase stratification and 3rd stage – treatment with auxinoids. In stages 1 and 2 after stratification the seeds were sown in spring; in the 3rd stage seeds were sown once again in autumn. In the 1st control stage the seeds did not germinate. In the 2nd stage after warm-cold stratification 14.13% plants of the Tišnovský 1 ecotype emerged; while only 6.33% plants of the Tišnovský 3 ecotype. In the 3rd stage, after auxinoid treatment and autumn sowing, 13.26% and 10.13% plants of Lednický 1 and Lednický 2, respectively, emerged. In the 1st control stage 3.86 % of the Jaltský variety and 2.80 % of Elegantní emerged. In the 2nd stage after treatment applying warm-cold stratification the varieties achieved various degrees of emergence; Botanický 5.66 %, Elegantní 5.40 % and Fruchtal 5.26 %. The highest proportion of germinating plants was seen in the 3rd stage in the Jaltský variety, i.e. 16.74 %, while the emergence of the varieties Fruchtal and Vydubecký was lower, i.e. 14.25 % and 12.20 %, respectively. In the 2nd year after a lapse of one year of dormancy the germinating capacity ranged between 62.30 and 76.28 %.Evaluations of the growth parameters of the seedlings were focused on the height of the plants and diameter of the root collar. The height of the seedlings ranged between 0.31 and 0.38 m and the diameter of the root collar between 4.12 and 4.40 mm. The weight of the stones of the ecotypes was considerably lower and ranged between 0.19 and 0.25 g. On the other hand the weight of seeds of the varieties was higher and ranged between 0.36 and 0.60 g. The difference was statistically highly significant. The weight of the seeds, their origin as well as the methods of treatment all affect the number of harvested plants in the first year after sowing. Seed treatment in the 2nd and 3rd variants resulted in a higher number of germinated plants than when conventional cold stratification was applied.