The effects of pericarp and pre-moist chilling treatment on the germination and dormancy traits of Fraxinus lanuginosa fruit
2006
Takiya, M.(Hokkaido. Forest Research Inst., Bibai (Japan)) | Koyama, H.
Experiments were carried out to investigate the germination traits of Fraxinus lanuginosa fruits. The optimal temperature for germination was 20 deg C; although fruits at lower temperatures (10 deg C and 15 deg C) retained their viability, and their germination was inhibited. While seeds extracted from fruits showed significantly higher germination percentages than intact fruits, partial scarification of the pericarp to enhance water permeability to the inner seed did not facilitate germination. This indicates that the dormancy of the fruit is mainly due to the physical inhibition of embryo growth by the pericarp. A pre-moist chilling treatment had a significant effect on breaking dormancy and enhancing the germination rate. However, since a substantial number of intact fruits was able to germinate without pre-treatment, we concluded that the dormancy of F. lanuginosa fruit is not very deep. These traits would be sufficient to prevent precocious germination of F. lanuginosa during the fruit-dispersal season in southeastern Hokkaido, Japan, which was characterized by a cool autumn followed by a severe winter.
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