Primula beesiana Forr.is an attractive wildflower endemically distributed in the wet habitats of subalpine/alpine regions of southwestern China.This study is an attempt to understand how this plant adapts to wet habit...Primula beesiana Forr.is an attractive wildflower endemically distributed in the wet habitats of subalpine/alpine regions of southwestern China.This study is an attempt to understand how this plant adapts to wet habitats and high altitudes.Specifically,we examined the effects of cold stratification,light,GA3,KNO3,and temperature on P.beesiana seed germination.KNO3 and GA3 increased germination percentage and germination rate compared to control treatments at 15/5 and 25/15℃.Untreated seeds germinated well(>80%)at higher temperatures(20,25 and 28℃),whereas at lower(5,10 and15℃)and extremely high temperatures(30 and 32℃)germination decreased significantly.However,after cold stratification(4-16 weeks),the germination percentage of P.beesiana seeds at low temperatures(5-15℃)and the germination rate at high temperatures(30℃)increased significantly,suggesting that P.beesiana has type 3 non-deep physiological dormancy.The base temperature and thermal time for germination decreased in seeds that were cold stratified for 16 weeks.Cold-stratified seeds incubated at fluctuating temperatures(especially at 15/5℃)had significantly high germination percentages and germination rates in light,but not in dark,compared to the corresponding constant temperature(10℃).Seeds had a strict light requirement at all temperatures,even after experiencing cold stratification;however,the combinations of cold stratification and fluctuating temperature increased germination when seeds were transferred from dark to light.Such dormancy/germination responses to light and temperature are likely mechanisms that ensure germination occurs only in spring and at/near the soil surface,thus avoiding seedling death by freezing,inundation and/or germination deep in the soil.展开更多
Aims To determine if the germination response of desert plant species to a period of aerial storage in field conditions(i.e.mature seeds that remain attached to the parent plant)is comparable to seeds harvested at mat...Aims To determine if the germination response of desert plant species to a period of aerial storage in field conditions(i.e.mature seeds that remain attached to the parent plant)is comparable to seeds harvested at maturity and stored in ambient laboratory conditions,to better understand the role of aerial seed bank in the germina-tion ecology of desert plants,using one annual and two perennial species.Methods Seeds of three desert plants(Anastatica hierochuntica,Blepharis ciliaris and Scrophularia deserti)that matured in June 2014,were collected from wild plants in June and November 2014,and ger-minated under two photoperiods(0,12 hours light)and three ther-moperiods(night/day temperatures of 15/25,20/30 and 25/35°c).Important Findings Seeds of B.ciliaris and S.deserti had significantly higher germination percentages when harvested and stored for five months,compared to being stored in the aerial seed bank.Germination percentages of these two species increased with decreasing temperature and in the presence of light.These results indicate that these species use a com-bination of aerial and soil seed banks to maintain a percentage of viable seeds through favourable germination periods.Germination percentages of A.hierochuntica were high under all tested circum-stances,indicating that this species relies mainly on the aerial seed bank to maintain a percentage of viable seeds through favourable germination periods.This study shows that the population survival strategies of an aerial seed bank are species-specific.These results have practical implications for conservation and habitat restoration for these species,and also for their propagation since early collec-tion of mature fruits and ex situ storage will result in greater germi-nation percentages of some species.展开更多
基金the National Key R&D Program of China(2017YF0505200 to H.Sun)the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDA 20050203 to H.Sun)+1 种基金the Key Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(U1802232 to H.Sun)National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant 31700284 to D.L.Peng,31670206 to Z.M.Li and 31900185 to L.E.Yang)。
文摘Primula beesiana Forr.is an attractive wildflower endemically distributed in the wet habitats of subalpine/alpine regions of southwestern China.This study is an attempt to understand how this plant adapts to wet habitats and high altitudes.Specifically,we examined the effects of cold stratification,light,GA3,KNO3,and temperature on P.beesiana seed germination.KNO3 and GA3 increased germination percentage and germination rate compared to control treatments at 15/5 and 25/15℃.Untreated seeds germinated well(>80%)at higher temperatures(20,25 and 28℃),whereas at lower(5,10 and15℃)and extremely high temperatures(30 and 32℃)germination decreased significantly.However,after cold stratification(4-16 weeks),the germination percentage of P.beesiana seeds at low temperatures(5-15℃)and the germination rate at high temperatures(30℃)increased significantly,suggesting that P.beesiana has type 3 non-deep physiological dormancy.The base temperature and thermal time for germination decreased in seeds that were cold stratified for 16 weeks.Cold-stratified seeds incubated at fluctuating temperatures(especially at 15/5℃)had significantly high germination percentages and germination rates in light,but not in dark,compared to the corresponding constant temperature(10℃).Seeds had a strict light requirement at all temperatures,even after experiencing cold stratification;however,the combinations of cold stratification and fluctuating temperature increased germination when seeds were transferred from dark to light.Such dormancy/germination responses to light and temperature are likely mechanisms that ensure germination occurs only in spring and at/near the soil surface,thus avoiding seedling death by freezing,inundation and/or germination deep in the soil.
基金This work was partially supported by a grant from the Qatar National Research Fund(Grant 5-260-1-053).
文摘Aims To determine if the germination response of desert plant species to a period of aerial storage in field conditions(i.e.mature seeds that remain attached to the parent plant)is comparable to seeds harvested at maturity and stored in ambient laboratory conditions,to better understand the role of aerial seed bank in the germina-tion ecology of desert plants,using one annual and two perennial species.Methods Seeds of three desert plants(Anastatica hierochuntica,Blepharis ciliaris and Scrophularia deserti)that matured in June 2014,were collected from wild plants in June and November 2014,and ger-minated under two photoperiods(0,12 hours light)and three ther-moperiods(night/day temperatures of 15/25,20/30 and 25/35°c).Important Findings Seeds of B.ciliaris and S.deserti had significantly higher germination percentages when harvested and stored for five months,compared to being stored in the aerial seed bank.Germination percentages of these two species increased with decreasing temperature and in the presence of light.These results indicate that these species use a com-bination of aerial and soil seed banks to maintain a percentage of viable seeds through favourable germination periods.Germination percentages of A.hierochuntica were high under all tested circum-stances,indicating that this species relies mainly on the aerial seed bank to maintain a percentage of viable seeds through favourable germination periods.This study shows that the population survival strategies of an aerial seed bank are species-specific.These results have practical implications for conservation and habitat restoration for these species,and also for their propagation since early collec-tion of mature fruits and ex situ storage will result in greater germi-nation percentages of some species.
