Physiological dormancy and germination requirements of seeds of several North American Rhus species (Anacardiaceae)

Xiaojie Li, Jerry M. Baskin, Carol C. Baskin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

29 Scopus citations

Abstract

Fourteen seedlots of five species of Rhus were surveyed for presence/absence of physiological dormancy and/or for germination requirements of nondormant seeds. Physiological dormancy was present in the four seedlots of R. aromatica studied, but not in either of the two seedlots of its close relative R. trilobata, which is in contrast to previous reports. Neither were seeds of R. glabra, R. typhina, nor R. virens physiologically dormant. Stratification at 5°C for 1 week or incubation in 500 or 1000 mg/l solutions of gibberellic acid broke physiological dormancy in > 90% of the R. aromatica seeds. Maturation desiccation acted as a switch from a developmental to a germinative mode in R. aromatica embryos, whereas it was not required for germination of R. glabra or R. virens (R. trilobata and R. typhina not tested). Seeds of all five species incubated on a moist substrate became fully imbibed in 2 d, at which time moisture content was approx. 70-80% of their initial weight. In general, germination of non-dormant seeds was rather insensitive to temperature and light. Seeds germinated equally well in light and in darkness over a daily (12 h/12 h) temperature range of 15/6-35/20°C. Over a 4 week period, the best germination percentages were obtained at 25/15 and 20/10°C, whereas 35/20°C appeared to be supraoptimal, though not always significantly so. If the incubation period was extended to 30 weeks, germination percentages were as high at 15/6°C as at 25/15 and 20/10°C.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)237-245
Number of pages9
JournalSeed Science Research
Volume9
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 1999

Keywords

  • Imbibition
  • Light and seed germination
  • Physiological seed dormancy
  • Rhus spp.
  • Temperature and seed germination

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Plant Science

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