TY - JOUR
T1 - Studies on dormancy, germination, and survival of seeds buried in soil of the rare plant species Aeschynomene virginica (Fabaceae)
AU - Baskin, Jerry M.
AU - Baskin, Carol C.
AU - Tyndall, R. Wayne
PY - 2005/4
Y1 - 2005/4
N2 - Dormancy in seeds of Aeschynomene virginica is caused by a water-impermeable ("hard") seed coat. In the laboratory, dormancy was broken by mechanical scarification, dry heat, wet heat (boiling), dry storage, incubation on a moist substrate for several months, and (to a lesser extent) freezing. Wetting/drying cycles were ineffective in breaking dormancy. Nondormant seeds germinated over a wide range of temperatures in both white light and darkness, in far-red light, at salinities (NaCl, Na 2SO 4, MgSO 4) of 0-1%, and while flooded or buried in soil. Fewer seedlings emerged from nondormant seeds buried > 3 cm in soil than from those buried 1 or 2 cm; emergence was 93% at 1 cm and 19% at 5 cm. Germination of only a few of the dormant seeds sown on the soil surface in a nonheated greenhouse in autumn 1995 was delayed until spring 1997, while 44% of those buried 7 cm deep in soil were still dormant ("hard") in spring 1999. Thus, it seems likely that A. virginica has the potential to form a persistent seed bank in its natural habitat.
AB - Dormancy in seeds of Aeschynomene virginica is caused by a water-impermeable ("hard") seed coat. In the laboratory, dormancy was broken by mechanical scarification, dry heat, wet heat (boiling), dry storage, incubation on a moist substrate for several months, and (to a lesser extent) freezing. Wetting/drying cycles were ineffective in breaking dormancy. Nondormant seeds germinated over a wide range of temperatures in both white light and darkness, in far-red light, at salinities (NaCl, Na 2SO 4, MgSO 4) of 0-1%, and while flooded or buried in soil. Fewer seedlings emerged from nondormant seeds buried > 3 cm in soil than from those buried 1 or 2 cm; emergence was 93% at 1 cm and 19% at 5 cm. Germination of only a few of the dormant seeds sown on the soil surface in a nonheated greenhouse in autumn 1995 was delayed until spring 1997, while 44% of those buried 7 cm deep in soil were still dormant ("hard") in spring 1999. Thus, it seems likely that A. virginica has the potential to form a persistent seed bank in its natural habitat.
KW - Aeschynomene virginica
KW - Physical dormancy
KW - Seed dormancy
KW - Seed germination
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M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:18444363344
SN - 0885-8608
VL - 25
SP - 147
EP - 155
JO - Natural Areas Journal
JF - Natural Areas Journal
IS - 2
ER -