Imbibition and Germination: Influence of Hard Seed Coats on RNA Metabolism

RNA metabolism of Indian rice grass seeds was studied in relation to imbibition and germination. These seeds germinate only after scarification of the seed coats. The hard seed coats restrict germination but not water intake or changes in the quantity and quality of RNA formed during early hours of soaking. These changes differ markedly from those in scarified (H₂SO₄ treated) seeds which are able to germinate. Gibberellic acid hastens germination of scarified seeds and causes changes in the population of RNA transcribed.     

Combinational dormancy in seeds of Sicyos angulatus (Cucurbitaceae,tribe Sicyeae)

Seeds with a water‐impermeable seed coat and a physiologically dormant embryo are classified as having combinational dormancy. Seeds of Sicyos angulatus (burcucumber) have been clearly shown to have a water‐impermeable seed coat (physical dormancy [PY]). The primary aim of the present study was to confirm (or not) that physiological dormancy (PD) is also present in seeds of S. angulatus. The highest germination of scarified fresh (38%) and 3‐month dry‐stored (36%) seeds occurred at 35/20°C. The rate (speed) of germination was faster in scarified dry‐stored seeds than in scarified fresh seeds. Removal of the seed coat, but leaving the membrane surrounding the embryo intact, increased germination of both fresh and dry‐stored seeds to > 85% at 35/20°C. Germination (80–100%) of excised embryos (both seed coat and membrane removed) occurred at 15/6, 25/15 and 35/20°C and reached 95–100% after 4 days of incubation at 25/15 and 35/20°C. Dry storage (after‐ripening) caused an increase in the germination percentage of scarified and of decoated seeds at 25/15°C and in both germination percentage and rate of excised embryos at 15/6°C. Eight weeks of cold stratification resulted in a significant increase in the germination of scarified seeds at 25/15 and 35/20°C and of decoated seeds at 15/6 and 25/15°C. Based on the results of our study and on information reported in the literature, we conclude that seeds of S. angulatus not only have PY, but also non‐deep PD, that is, combinational dormancy (PY + PD).     

Effects of seed burial on germination,protein mobilisation and seedling survival in Dodonaea viscosa

Ecological restoration of disturbed areas requires substantial knowledge of the germination of native plants and the creation of novel methods to increase seedling establishment in the field. We studied the effects of soil matrix priming on the germination of Dodonaea viscosa seeds, which exhibit physical dormancy. To this end, we buried both pre‐scarified (in H₂SO₄, 3 min) and non‐pre‐scarified seeds in the Parque Ecológico de la Ciudad de México. After seeds were unearthed, they were post‐scarified for 0, 2, 6 and 10 min and their germination percentages compared to the germination of a control batch of laboratory‐stored seeds. For both control and unearthed seeds, the protein pattern was determined in the enriched storage protein fraction in SDS‐PAGE gels stained with Coomassie blue. Percentage germination increased as the scarification time increased. Pre‐scarification significantly increased percentage germination of post‐scarified seeds in relation to the control and non‐pre‐scarified seeds. In seeds unearthed from the forest site, the buried pre‐scarified seeds had relatively high percentage germination, even in the absence of post‐scarification treatment. A 48‐kDa protein was not found in unearthed, pre‐scarified seeds nor in the control germinated seeds, indicating that mobilisation of this protein occurred during soil priming. Burying seeds for a short period, including the beginning of the rainy season, promoted natural priming, which increased protein mobilisation. Functionally, priming effects were reflected in high percentage seedling survival in both the shade house and the field. Seed burial also reduced the requirement for acidic post‐scarification.     

Seed dormancy and germination in Dodonaea viscosa (Sapindaceae) from south-western Saudi Arabia

Dodonaea viscosa (Sapindaceae) is widespread in the mountainous highlands of the southwestern part of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where it is a medicinally important species for the people in Saudi Arabia. Seeds of this species were collected from Mount Atharb in Al-Baha region, at an altitude of 2100 m. The aims of this study were to determine if the seeds of D. viscosa have physical dormancy (i.e. a water-impermeable seed coat) and, if so, what treatments would break dormancy, and what conditions promote germination after dormancy has been broken. The dormancy-breaking treatments included: soaking of seeds in concentrated sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) for 10 min, immersion in boiling water for 10 min and exposure to 50 °C for 1 min. After seeds had been pre-treated with H₂SO₄, to break dormancy, they were incubated at constant temperatures from 5 to 35 °C, under 12-h photoperiods or in continuous darkness, and germination recorded. Salinity tolerance was investigated by incubating acid-scarified seeds in different concentrations of mM NaCl in the light at 25 °C.Untreated seeds had low final germination 30%. Seeds that had been acid-scarified, immersed in boiling water or exposed to 50 °C all achieved 91% subsequently when incubated at 25 °C. Thus, seeds of this species in Saudi Arabia have physical dormancy, which can be broken by all three treatments designed to increase the permeability of the testa. After pre-treatment, there was a broad optimum constant temperature for germination that ranged between 5 and 25 °C but germination was inhibited by higher temperatures (30 and 35 °C). Light had little effect on this germination response. Scarified seeds were also sensitive to salinity, with the highest germination in distilled water and complete inhibition in 400 mM NaCl. Seeds that failed to germinate in saline treatments were mostly able to germinate on transfer to distilled water, suggesting osmotic inhibition.     

Sensitivity cycling in physically dormant seeds of the Neotropical tree Senna multijuga (Fabaceae)

• Cycling of sensitivity to physical dormancy (PY) break has been documented in herbaceous species. However, it has not been reported in tree seeds, nor has the effect of seed size on sensitivity to PY‐breaking been evaluated in any species. Thus, the aims of this study were to investigate how PY is broken in seeds of the tropical legume tree Senna multijuga, if seeds exhibit sensitivity cycling and if seed size affects induction into sensitivity.
• Dormancy and germination were evaluated in intact and scarified seeds from two collections of S. multijuga. The effects of temperature, moisture and seed size on induction of sensitivity to dormancy‐breaking were assessed, and seasonal changes in germination and persistence of buried seeds were determined. Reversal of sensitivity was also investigated.
• Fresh seeds were insensitive to dormancy break at wet–high temperatures, and an increase in sensitivity occurred in buried seeds after they experienced low temperatures during winter (dry season). Temperatures ≤20 °C increased sensitivity, whereas temperatures ≥30 °C decreased it regardless of moisture conditions. Dormancy was broken in sensitive seeds by incubating them at 35 °C. Sensitivity could be reversed, and large seeds were more sensitive than small seeds to sensitivity induction.
• Seeds of S. multijuga exhibit sensitivity cycling to PY‐breaking. Seeds become sensitive during winter and can germinate with the onset of the spring–summer rainy season in Brazil. Small seeds are slower to become sensitive than large ones, and this may be a mechanism by which germination is spread over time. Sensitive seeds that fail to germinate become insensitive during exposure to drought during summer. This is the first report of sensitivity cycling in a tree species.

     

Physical and physiological dormancy in black henbane (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Hyoscyamus niger</Emphasis> L.) seeds

Aim of this study was to investigate the nature of dormancy in black henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) seeds which have low germination rate under normal laboratory conditions. To do this, before placing the seeds in Petri dishes, they were soaked in 5,10 and 15 mg/L GA; 1,2 and 3% H₂SO₄, 15 mg/L GA + 1% H₂SO₄, 0.01 M KNO₃ solutions, tap water, 40, 50 and 60°C hot water for 30 min. The study was performed under both continuous illumination and darkness in growth chambers to evaluate the effect of light on germination rate. The results showed that H₂SO₄ and GA treatments were the most important factors affecting seed germination and their germination enhancing effects were more evident in darkness. The results also suggested that black henbane seeds exhibit double dormancy involving a hard seed coat and a partially dormant embryo and have a partial dark requirement to germinate.     

Germination behaviour of Astroloma xerophyllum (Ericaceae), a species with woody indehiscent endocarps

The dispersal unit of many Ericaceae comprises an ovoid drupe with a woody indehiscent endocarp, and diaspores of this type are notoriously difficult to germinate for most members of this widely distributed family. Within the biodiverse south‐west of Western Australia, more than 200 drupaceous species of Ericaceae have been described, more than 50 of which are considered to be rare and threatened, requiring significant conservation action in the near future. In this paper, we investigate the germination ecology of the common Australian endemic, Astroloma xerophyllum, as a proxy for closely related threatened taxa, focusing on the ex situ and in situ germination requirements of seeds and indehiscent endocarps. Each endocarp possessed up to seven locules and means of 2.0–3.4 seeds per endocarp from the two collections used in this study. Seeds were up to 2.74 mm in length and 100% viable. Embryos were linear, differentiated and approximately 1.3 mm in length. Seeds within endocarps imbibed water to 28%, whereas excised seeds became hydrated to 44%. Fifty‐five per cent of seeds extracted from endocarps germinated on water agar alone and 100% germinated when presoaked in gibberellic acid. Seeds remaining inside intact endocarps failed to germinate unless treated with a germination promoter and incubated for more than 20 weeks. Rapid germination of seeds in intact endocarps was promoted by soaking endocarps in gibberellic acid and incubating them in 100% O₂. Embryos grew substantially in length within seeds prior to germination, and thus seeds have morphophysiological dormancy. Seeds under natural conditions required several seasons to germinate to any degree. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 160 , 299–311.     

Seed dormancy of Cardiospermum halicacabum (Sapindaceae) from three precipitation zones in Sri Lanka

• This study investigated seed germination of Cardiospermum halicacabum, a medicinally important invasive species.
• We compared mass, moisture content (MC), dormancy and dormancy‐breaking treatments and imbibition and germination of scarified and non‐scarified seeds of C. halicacabum from a low‐elevation dry zone (DZ), low‐elevation wet zone (WZ1) and mid‐elevation wet zone (WZ2) in Sri Lanka to test the hypothesis that the percentage of seeds with water‐impermeable seed coats (physical dormancy, PY) decreases with increased precipitation.
• Seed mass was higher in WZ2 than in DZ and WZ1, while seed MC did not vary among the zones. All scarified DZ, WZ1 and WZ2 and non‐scarified DZ and WZ1 seeds imbibed water, but only a few non‐scarified WZ2 seeds did so. When DZ and WZ1 seeds were desiccated, MC and percentage imbibition decreased, showing that these seeds have the ability to develop PY. GA₃ promoted germination of embryos excised from fresh DZ and WZ1 seeds and of scarified WZ2 seeds.
• At maturity, seeds from DZ and WZ1 had only physiological dormancy (PD), while those from WZ2 had combinational dormancy (PY+PD). Thus, our hypothesis was not supported. Since a high percentage of excised embryos developed into normal seedlings; this is a low‐cost method to produce C. halicacabum plants for medicinal and ornamental purposes.

     

Role of temperature in the germination ecology of three summer annual weeds

Summary Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., Chenopodium album L., and Amaranthus retroflexus L. are three summer annual weeds that occur in disturbed habitats. In nature, the peak germination season for A. artemisiifolia and C. album is in early to mid-spring, while in A. retroflexus the peak germination season is late spring to early summer. Furthermore, seeds of A. artemisiifolia germinate only in spring, while seeds of C. album and A. retroflexus germinate throughout the summer. In an attempt to explain the differential germination behavior of these three species in nature, changes in their germination responses to temperature during burial in a non-heated greenhouse from October 1974 to October 1975 were monitored. A high percentage of the seeds of all three species after-ripened during winter. Seeds of A. artemisiifolia and C. album germinated at temperatures characteristic of those in the field in early and mid-spring, but seeds of A. retroflexus required the higher temperatures of late spring and early summer for germination. Seeds of all three species germinated to higher percentages in light than in darkness. Non-dormant seeds of A. artemisiifolia that did not germinate in spring entered secondary dormancy. On the other hand, seeds of C. album and A. retroflexus that did not germinate when temperatures first became favorable for germination, did not enter secondary dormancy and, thus, retained the ability to germinate at summer field temperatures during summer. Thus, temporal differences in the germination behavior of these three species are caused by the differential reaction of the seeds to temperature during the annual temperature cycle.     

散枝猪毛菜的种子多型性及其萌发行为

散枝猪毛菜(Salsola bracchita)主要分布于新疆准噶尔荒漠,具有很强的抗干旱和抗盐碱能力。该文对散枝猪毛菜的果实进行了观察,表明散枝猪毛菜具有4种类型的散布单位和果实,这4种果实在形状、大小、颜色和着生方式上均有显著差异。A型果实绿色、球形、大,着生方式为横生,宿存花被革质,背部有紫红色翅状附属物,直径为(2.161±0.138) mm,单粒重为(3.810±0.113) mg;B型果实绿色、大、扁平、长圆形,着生方式为直立,宿存花被革质,背部有翅状附属物,长为(2.062±0.188) mm,宽为(1.720±0.148) mm,单粒重为(2.665±0.113) mg;C型果实绿色、大、扁平、长圆形,着生方式为直立,宿存花被膜质,背部无翅状附属物,长为(2.239±0.277) mm,宽为(1.844±0.150) mm,单粒重为(2.723±0.559) mg;D型果实黄色、小、扁平、长卵形,着生方式为直立,宿存花被膜质,背部无翅状附属物,长为(1.678±0.163) mm,宽为(1.390±0.110) mm,单粒重为(0.928±0.025) mg。A型、B型和C型种子(果实)在5 ℃/15 ℃、5 ℃/25 ℃、15 ℃/25 ℃(暗12 h/光12 h)变温条件下萌发率>68%,且B型和C型种子比A型种子有较高的萌发率和萌发速率。D型种子在3种变温条件下萌发缓慢,最终萌发率始终维持在较低水平(<20%),划破果皮和种皮能够显著提高D型种子的萌发率和萌发指数,表明D型种子处于生理休眠状态。散枝猪毛菜的种子多型性是对荒漠异质环境的一种适应。     

Seed development and germination ecophysiology of the invasive tree <Emphasis Type="Italic">Prunus serotina</Emphasis> (Rosaceae) in a temperate forest in Western Europe

Seed development, dormancy and germination of the American invasive tree species, Prunus serotina, are described for plants growing in a large forest in Belgium. Seeds of P. serotina were collected following anthesis in the first week of July and thereafter at fortnightly intervals. Seed dormancy, temperature requirements for germination and the soil seed bank were investigated. At maturation (about 105 days after anthesis), seed moisture content had decreased to around 13.7%, and 44% of the seeds had attained the capacity to germinate. Mature seeds of P. serotina exhibited physiological dormancy, germinating only after a long cold, moist stratification period. Highest germination percentage occurred in seeds treated with gibberellic acid (GA₃), at 10°C. We found no evidence that P. serotina forms a persistent seed bank but noticed a persistent seedling bank in the field.     

A combined physical and physiological dormancy controls seasonal seedling emergence of Geranium robertianum

Temperate forest herbs with seeds exhibiting both a physical and a physiological dormancy mechanism are rare, and knowledge on the factors regulating germination of these species is fragmentary. The biennial Geranium robertianum L. grows mainly in temperate woodlands, but can also be found in exposed habitats. Seedlings of G. robertianum are known to emerge from spring until autumn, but little is known about the environmental factors regulating germination. In this study, phenology of seedling emergence and of physical dormancy loss was examined for seeds buried at shaded or sunny exposed locations. The role of temperature in regulating dormancy and germination was analysed by incubating seeds in temperature sequences simulating temperatures that seeds experience in nature. The results indicate that most seeds of G. robertianum buried in sunny conditions germinate immediately after physical dormancy loss in summer. Seeds buried in shaded conditions also lose physical dormancy mainly during summer, but remain physiologically dormant and do not germinate until late winter or early spring. Besides physical dormancy, seeds of G. robertianum also initially have a high level of physiological dormancy, which is reduced during dry storage. Physiological dormancy is reduced through chilling in winter, thus enabling the seeds to germinate at low temperatures. We conclude that a complex combination of physical and physiological dormancy ensures that G. robertianum seeds germinate in summer at exposed sites and in early spring at shaded sites.     

Heat shock effects on seed germination of five Brazilian savanna species

Fire is considered an important factor in influencing the physiognomy, dynamics and composition of Neotropical savannas. Species of diverse physiognomies exhibit different responses to fire, such as population persistence and seed mortality, according to the fire frequency to which they are submitted. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of heat shocks on seed germination of Anadenanthera macrocarpa (Benth.) Brenan, Dalbergia miscolobium Benth., Aristolochia galeata Mart. & Zucc., Kielmeyera coriacea (Spreng.) Mart. and Guazuma ulmifolia Lam., which are native species of the Brazilian savanna. The temperatures and exposure times to which the seeds were submitted were established according to data obtained in the field during a prescribed fire: 60 °C (10, 20 and 40 min), 80 °C (5, 10 and 20 min) and 100 °C (2, 5 and 10 min). Untreated seeds were used as controls. Seeds of A. galeata and K. coriacea showed high tolerance to most heat treatments, and seeds of A. macrocarpa showed a significant reduction in germination percentage after treatments of 80 °C and 100 °C. Treatments of 100 °C for 10 min reduced germination percentage for all species except G. ulmifolia, which has dormant seeds. For this species, germination was accelerated by heat treatments. The high temperatures applied did not interfere with the time to 50% germination (T₅₀) of the tolerant seeds. Seeds of the savanna species K. coriacea and A. galeata were more tolerant to heat shocks than seeds of the forest species A. macrocarpa. Guazuma ulmifolia, the forest species with seeds that germinate after heat shock, also occurs in savanna physiognomies. Overall, the high temperatures applied did not affect the germination rate of the tolerant seeds.     

Effects of various pretreatments on seed germination of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Calystegia soldanella</Emphasis> (Convolvulaceae), a coastal sand dune plant

We tested various pretreatments to enhance the germination of ‘Sea bells’ (Calystegia soldanella Roem. et Schult). One experiment, which improved the germination rate by 70%, involved first scarifying the seed coats, then immersing the seeds in 50 ppm GA₃ for 24 h. A GA₃-alone pretreatment did not increase germination. However, the most effective method, with a 100% success rate, included 3 h of acid pretreatment with 98% H₂SO₄. We also used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to examine the seed-coat surfaces and cross-sections of dry seeds. SEM showed structural differences between seeds that were not treated and those exposed to 98% H₂SO₄. The latter treatment allowed the seed coats to crack and break, thereby disrupting their physical dormancy.     

Dormancy,viability and germination of Magnolia lanuginosa (Wall.) Figlar & Noot. seeds: A threatened tree species of Northeast India

The population of Magnolia lanuginosa a rare tree species of northeastern India has declined drastically owing to habitat destruction, low natural regeneration and over harvesting for its multipurpose uses. The present study was carried out to understand the type of dormancy and analyse the effect of storage on viability and germination behaviour of M. lanuginosa under various physical and chemical treatments. Seeds subjected to physical treatments such as water (cold, hot, and boiling), acid (H₂SO₄) and manual scarification failed in breaking dormancy. Seeds treated with growth regulators (GA₃) had a significant effect on germination. It reduced the germination time and the shortest T₅₀ was observed in seeds treated with 2000 mg/l of GA₃ (non-scarified seeds) and 1000 mg/l of GA₃ (scarified seeds). The use of KNO₃ did not have any significant effect in breaking dormancy. However, the use of KNO₃ along with GA₃, increased the germination percentage. Seeds cold stratified (CS) for 60 days at 5 °C was effective in breaking dormancy and resulted in 84.26% germination. This indicates the prevalence of Type-1 Non deep physiological dormancy in M. lanuginosa seeds that requires a crucial CS period for proper embryo growth and development. The seeds stored in moist sand at 5 °C remained viable even after 120 days with 48.88% viability. The study would be helpful in devising seed germination protocols for mass production and reintroduction of the species into the wild.     

Breaking Setaria parviflora seed dormancy by nitrates and light is part of a mechanism that detects a drawdown period after flooding

We explored the hypothesis that, in flood-prone habitats, nitrates can signal to seeds that a drawdown period has begun. To investigate this issue, Setaria parviflora (Poir.) Kerguélen seeds were buried in a never-flooded upland and a nearby, flood-prone lowland grassland. Seeds were exhumed during the flooding period. Additionally, grassland mesocosms with buried S. parviflora seeds were flooded during 20 d (controls drained). After both field and mesocosm pretreatments germination was assayed in laboratory at 25 °C in a medium with or without nitrates, under red light pulses or in darkness. Seeds exhumed from the never-flooded upland showed no specific requirements to germinate. In contrast, seeds exhumed from the flooded lowland germinated ca. 65% when nitrates were combined with red light pulses, significantly higher than in the rest of the treatments. Seeds exhumed from drained mesocosms germinated equally in all treatments. However, in the seeds exhumed from the flooded mesocosms, nitrates increased germination by more than 20% compared with seeds imbibed in water. Seeds germinated ca. 85% when nitrates were combined with red light pulses, significantly higher than in the other treatments. We can conclude that after flooding, S. parviflora seeds require nitrate and light to germinate. Therefore, a large fraction of seeds do not germinate unless nitrates are combined with light, indicating a drawdown period after floods and vegetation gaps.     

Deep and intermediate complex morphophysiological dormancy in seeds of Ferula gummosa (Apiaceae)

We tested the hypothesis that seeds of the monocarpic perennial Ferula gummosa from the Mediterranean area and central Asia have deep complex morphophysiological dormancy. We determined the water permeability of seeds, embryo morphology, temperature requirements for embryo growth and seed germination and responses of seeds to warm and cold stratification and to different concentrations of GA₃. The embryo has differentiated organs, but it is small (underdeveloped) and must grow inside the seed, reaching a critical embryo length, seed length ratio of 0.65–0.7, before the seed can germinate. Seeds required 9 weeks of cold stratification at <10°C for embryo growth, dormancy break and germination to occur. Thus, seeds have morphophysiological dormancy (MPD). Furthermore, GA₃ improved the germination percentage and rate at 5°C and promoted 20 and 5% germination of seeds incubated at 15 and 20°C, respectively. Thus, about 20% of the seeds had intermediate complex MPD. For the other seeds in the seed lot, cold stratification (5°C) was the only requirement for dormancy break and germination and GA₃ could not substitute for cold stratification. Thus, about 80% of the seeds had deep complex MPD.     

Influence of an abscisic acid (ABA) seed coating on seed germination rate and timing of Bluebunch Wheatgrass

Semi‐arid rangeland degradation is a reoccurring issue throughout the world. In the Great Basin of North America, seeds sown in the fall to restore degraded sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) steppe plant communities may experience high mortality in winter due to exposure of seedlings to freezing temperatures and other stressors. Delaying germination until early spring when conditions are more suitable for growth may increase survival. We evaluated the use of BioNik? (Valent BioSciences LLC) abscisic acid (ABA) to delay germination of bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata). Seed was either left untreated or coated at five separate rates of ABA ranging from 0.25 to 6.0 g 100 g^?1 of seed. Seeds were incubated at five separate constant temperatures from 5 to 25°C. From the resultant germination data, we developed quadratic thermal accumulation models for each treatment and applied them to 4 years of historic soil moisture and temperature data across six sagebrush steppe sites to predict germination timing. Total germination percentage remained similar across all temperatures except at 25°C, where high ABA rates had slightly lower values. All ABA doses delayed germination, with the greatest delays at 5–10°C. For example, the time required for 50% of the seeds to germinate at 5°C was increased by 16–46 d, depending on the amount of ABA applied. Seed germination models predicted that the majority of untreated seed would germinate 5–11 weeks after a 15 October simulated planting date. In contrast, seeds treated with ABA were predicted to delay germination to late winter or early spring. These results indicate that ABA coatings may delay germination of fall planted seed until conditions are more suitable for plant survival and growth.     

Seed germination requirements of Buck’s beard [Aruncus dioicus (Walter) Fernald (Rosaceae)]

Aruncus dioicus (Walter) Fernald (Rosaceae) is a perennial herbaceous plant whose young shoots are traditionally collected in the wild and consumed as a food in NE Italy. The aim of this study was to determine the germination requirements of its seeds in order to start its cultivation, and to assess the germination of six accessions of the species. Viability of seeds ranged from 86 to 97% in the various accessions. Germination rate was almost null in seeds of two accessions, and ranged from 10.5 to 37.3 in the other ones. The seed coat was permeable to water. Treatments with GA₃, KNO₃ and mechanical scarification did not enhance the germination, while the cold stratification treatment at 2 °C for different periods improved the germination rate and the mean germination time as compared with the untreated seeds. With 45 days of cold stratification, the germination rate and mean germination time (respectively, 90.1% and 7.7 dd) of seeds were different from those of the untreated seeds. Cold stratified seeds germinated under artificial light and did not germinate in the dark. Seeds of A. dioicus displayed an intermediate physiological dormancy, removable by a cold stratification treatment, requiring both light and cold conditions.     

Phytochrome et germination des semences de Rumex

The Rumex alpinus L. achenes show a special type of positive photosensitivity: several red light irradiations are necessary to induce optimal germination. The achenes deprived of their pericarp lose their photosensitivity and germinate readily in the dark. By spectrophotometry in vivo, the presence of the Pr form of phytochrome is revealed in these seeds. Short periods at extreme temperatures (30°C or 5°C) induce a good proportion of achenes to germinate. The gibberellins are inefficient on achene germination contrary to benzyladenine which exhibits some activity. A slight improvement of GA₄ effects has been detected on scarified fruits.