Studies on dormancy, germination, and survival of seeds buried in soil of the rare plant species Aeschynomene virginica (Fabaceae)

Jerry M. Baskin, Carol C. Baskin, R. Wayne Tyndall

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

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.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)147-155
Number of pages9
JournalNatural Areas Journal
Volume25
Issue number2
StatePublished - Apr 2005

Keywords

  • Aeschynomene virginica
  • Physical dormancy
  • Seed dormancy
  • Seed germination

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ecology
  • Nature and Landscape Conservation

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