Practical methods for overcoming hardseedness in some ornamental Acacia species [Tuscany]
1993
Magnani, G. | Macchia, M. (Pisa Univ. (Italy). Dipartimento di Agronomia e Gestione dell'Agroecosistema) | Serra, G. (Scuola Superiore di Studi Universitari e di Perfezionamento S. Anna, Pisa (Italy)) | Moscheni, E.
Six ornamental acacia species (A. Boormani Maiden, A. implexa Benth., A. kybeanensis Aiden and Blakey, A. myrtifolia Willd., A rubida A. Cunn, A. terminalis Macbride) were examined for their germination characteristics. In all cases, percentage germination was rather low, corresponding to the high content of hard seed. To remove primary dormancy, induced by coat impermeability, the following treatments were applied: 100 deg C with dry heat and 100 degree C in boiling water: for each of these two treatments, exposure times to heat were 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 minutes. Characteristics determined for the acacia species seed samples investigated in these trials showed differentiated behaviour when subjected to the different heat treatment. At the same time, however, boiling also led to an increase in non-viable seeds, and this increase reached more elevated values with increasing exposure time. It appeared, therefore, that the positive effect of boiling on seed germination percentage was generally not enhanced by prolonging duration of heat exposure. In contrast, seed germination percentage did increase when dry heat was applied
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by Istituto di Servizi per il Mercato Agricolo Alimentare