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 language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 147-155 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Natural Areas Journal |
Volume | 25 |
Issue number | 2 |
State | Published - Apr 2005 |
Keywords
- Aeschynomene virginica
- Physical dormancy
- Seed dormancy
- Seed germination
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ecology
- Nature and Landscape Conservation