Mycocentrospora acerina in carrots; Effects of crop rotation on disease incidence

Four experimental sites located in different climatic regions in Norway were inoculated with Mycocentrospora acerina in 1985. In 1986, crop rotation experiments including carrot, barley, grass, red clover, onion and potato, were established at these sites. Incidence of M. acerina on the foliage and the roots of carrots after storage were recorded in 1989/90 and 1994/95. The 3 yr rotation only slightly reduced the inoculum of M. acerina in the soil. Red clover and grass were the most effective crops in reducing the inoculum, potato and barley were less effective, and onion had no effect on the inoculum. Differences in M. acerina infection on carrots between 3, 6 and 8 yr of rotation with barley and grass were not statistically significant.     

The inter-relationship between the age of carrot roots at harvest and infection by Mycocentrospora acerina in storage

Infection of carrot roots by Mycocenlrospora acerina in chill storage (3.5 °C) following inoculation with chlamydospores was studied in 1973–74 and 1974–75. AREAS of intact periderm were only rarely infected, and the high level of periderm resistance predominated over other variables. However, wound infection tended to increase with depth of wound and with increasing age of the plants at harvest. Irrespective of age of root or depth of wound, roots were comparatively resistant to infection at harvest and early in storage, resistance being expressed as a restriction of mycelial growth on the wound surface or localisation of the lesion. Increasing susceptibility with time in storage, depth of wounds, or age at harvest, resulted in larger numbers of inoculated sites becoming infected and a more rapid development from localised to progressive lesions.     

The influence of the fungal pathogen Mycocentrospora acerina on the proteome and polyacetylenes and 6-methoxymellein in organic and conventionally cultivated carrots (Daucus carota) during post harvest storage

Many carrots are discarded during post harvest cold storage due to development of fungal infections, caused by, e.g., Mycocentrospora acerina (liquorice rot). We compared the susceptibility of carrots grown under conventional and organic agricultural practices. In one year, organically cultivated carrots showed 3 × to 7 × more symptoms than conventionally cultivated, when studying naturally occurring disease at 4 and 6 months, respectively. On the other hand, we have developed a bioassay for infection studies of M. acerina on carrots and observed that organic roots were more susceptible after one month of storage than conventional ones, but no differences were apparent after four or six months storage. Levels of polyacetylenes (falcarinol, falcarindiol and falcarindiol-3-acetate) did not change, whereas the isocoumarin phytoalexin (6-methoxymellein) accumulated in infected tissue as well as in healthy tissue opposite the infection. The proteomes of carrot and M. acerina were characterized, the intensity of 33 plant protein spots was significantly changed in infected roots including up regulation of defence and stress response proteins but also a decrease of proteins involved in energy metabolism. This combined metabolic and proteomic study indicates that roots respond to fungal infection through altered metabolism: simultaneous induction of 6-methoxymellein and synthesis of defence related proteins.     

Storage diseases of carrots in East Anglia 1978 – 82, and the effects of some pre- and post-harvest factors

In a survey of nine carrot crops stored during four seasons 1978 – 82, the major causes of wastage were spreading soft rots caused by Botrytis cinerea and Rhizoctonia carotae; rots caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Mycocentrospora acerina and Stemphylium radicinum were only of secondary importance. Storage weight losses were lower and roots remained turgid for up to 40 wk in an ice-bank-cooled store at 0·5 °C, 97 – 98% r.h., whereas carrots in conventionally-cooled stores at 2 – 2.5 °C, 90 – 95% r.h. became flaccid after a few months. In some crops, losses due to fungal spoilage were also lower in the ice-bank store. In two seasons' losses, mostly due to B. cinerea, were similar in hand- and machine-harvested roots; pre-storage washing of carrots grown on mineral soils increased the incidence of Botrytis rots, and reduced rotting by R. carotae, but had no effect on spoilage of roots from peat soils. Post-harvest fungicide treatment with benomyl or iprodione (0·5 g/litre a.i.) effectively reduced rotting by B. cinerea and S. sclerotiorum, but not by R. carotae. The recoveries of sound carrots after 23 – 29 wk storage were consistently highest (mostly > 80%) from fungicide-dipped roots stored under ice-bank conditions, but recoveries from all treatments were lower and more erratic after 35 – 40 wk because of increased fungal spoilage. The practical applications of long-term ice-bank storage of UK-grown carrots are discussed.     

Assimilation and translocation of nitrogen and carbon in Curcuma alismatifolia Gagnep

Curcuma or Siam tulip (Curcuma alismatifolia Gagnep.) is an ornamental flowering plant with two underground storage organs, rhizomes and storage roots. Characteristics of N and C assimilation and transport in curcuma were investigated. The plants were treated with ¹⁵NH₄⁺ + ¹⁵NO₃^? and ¹³CO₂ at 10, 13 or 21 weeks after planting. Plants were sampled at several stages up to 32 weeks. The C stored in old storage roots was used rapidly during the first 10 weeks; after which N stored in old rhizomes and old storage roots were used. The daily gain in C depending on photosynthesis was remarkably high between 10 and 21 weeks. However, the daily gain in N was relatively constant throughout the growth period. The ¹⁵N absorbed at 10 weeks was initially accumulated in leaves and roots, but some was transported to flowering organs at 13 weeks. At harvest, 41% of ¹⁵N was recovered in new rhizomes and 17% in new storage roots. After ¹³CO₂ exposure at 10 and 13 weeks, the distribution of ¹³C among organs was relatively constant in subsequent stages. When given ¹³CO₂ at 21 weeks, a large amount of labelled C was recovered in new storage roots and new rhizomes at harvest. Both new rhizomes and new storage roots stored N and C, however, rhizomes played a more important role in supplying N, while storage roots provided C.     

Changes in fungi and mycotoxins in pearl millet under controlled storage conditions

Pearl millet is increasingly being grown as a premium-value grain for the recreational wildlife and poultry industries in the southern US. We conducted three experiments to assess grain mold development in storage conditions typically encountered in the region of production. Variables included production year, temperature, relative humidity, atmosphere, and grain moisture content. In the first experiment, grain was stored for 9 weeks at 20 or 25°C and maintained at 86% or 91% relative humidity (r.h.). In the second experiment, grain was stored for 9 weeks at 20 or 25°C in either air (aerobic) or N₂ (anaerobic), and maintained at 100% r.h. In the third experiment, high-moisture grain was stored for 3 weeks at 20 or 25°C and maintained at 100% r.h. Grain was sampled at weekly intervals and plated to determine changes in fungal frequency. Fungi isolated included Fusarium chlamydosporum (19% of grain), Curvularia spp. (14%), F. semitectum (16%), Alternaria spp. (9%), Aspergillus flavus (8%), “Helminthosporium”-type spp. (6%), and F. moniliforme sensu lato (3%). Year of grain production significantly affected isolation frequency of fungi. Isolation frequencies from low-moisture grain were rarely affected by temperature, relative humidity, or atmosphere treatments, but was affected by storage duration for some fungi. Changes in isolation of toxigenic fungi occurred in high-moisture grain. Isolation frequency of F. chlamydosporum increased in grain stored at 86% and 91% r.h. Incidence of A. flavus increased in high-moisture grain treatments, particularly at 25°C. Incidence of deoxynivalenol was not affected by storage treatment. Low concentrations of nivalenol were detected in most grain incubated at 100% r.h. Zearalenone was detected only when grain moisture content was 20–22%. Aflatoxin contamination averaged 174 ng g⁻¹ over all treatments, and increased up to 798 ng g⁻¹ in high-moisture grain at stored at 25°C.     

Seasonal dynamics of phytonematodes associated with date palm cvs. Barhi and Hyani as affected by soil temperature and moisture

Seasonal fluctuation of the reniform nematode, Rotylenchulus reniformis in soil and roots and the spiral nematode, Helicotylenchus sp. in soil and roots of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) cvs. Barhi and Hyani over one year revealed that these nematodes were negatively correlated with the prevailing soil temperature (°C) and were positively correlated with percentage soil moisture at different sampling months and seasons. Correlation coefficients(r) were calculated to ascertain these relationships.     

Effects of Long‐Term Storage Methods on the Infectivity of Urediospores of Phakopsora pachyrhizi

A method for long‐term storage of spores of Phakopsora pachyrhizi was optimized. Three methods with different procedures for spore harvest and four different reactivation methods (varying in hydration or using heat shock) were analysed for the suitability for long‐term storage at ?80°C. All conservation methods as well as all reactivation methods lead to the infection of soybean leaves after 1 year of storage. Regarding efficiency and labour input, the most recommended method is to tap off spores from infected and sporulating leaves with subsequent dehydration before storage at ?80°C. Because hydration or heat shock steps did not provide any advantages, spores can be suspended in Tween water directly after storage and used as inoculum.     

Study on the factors affecting storage of edible aroids

The effects of temperature (15 °C, 25 °C, 30°C and 24–29°C), relative humidity (45%, 85% and 86–98%) and harvest maturity on the storage behaviour of cormels of the edible aroid species Colocasia esculenta and Xanthosoma sagittifolium were studied. The changes monitored were respiration rates, weight losses, incidence of decay and sprouting. Post-harvest losses that occurred during storage were influenced by the storage conditions, the state of maturity at harvest and the morphological characteristics of the cormels. When stored under high temperature and humidity more sprouting and decay occurred with C. esculenta cormels than with X. sagittifolium cormels. Less sprouting and decay occurred with Colocasia cormels at high temperature and low humidity than at high temperature and high humidity but higher weight losses were recorded. Wound pathogens were the major cause of post-harvest deterioration in Colocasia cormels and the causal pathogen of cormel decay was Sclerotium rolfsii. Under conditions of low temperature (15 °C) and high humidity (85%), cormels of both C. esculenta and X. sagittifolium were successfully stored for periods of 5–6 weeks. Similar storage periods were also possible under tropical ambient conditions with the Xanthosoma cultivars used in these experiments. Under the same storage conditions up to 60% decay occurred in the Colocasia cormels indicating the need for post-harvest fungicide treatment.     

Apple (Malus pumila var. domestica) phenology is advancing due to rising air temperature in northern Japan

Recent studies show advancing onset of plant growing season in many regions for the last several decades. With the well‐established dependence of plant phenology on temperature, these trends are interpreted as an indication of global warming. For several decades, however, other determinants of plant phenology, e.g. varieties and trends in managed systems, may have changed and confounded the phenological trends. In this study, we tested if long‐term changes in phenology of apple (Malus pumila var. domestica) are attributable to long‐term changes in temperature by comparing the phenological response to long‐term trend in air temperature, which is of our interest, with that to year‐to‐year fluctuation in air temperature, which should represent the real effect of temperature on phenology. We collected records of air temperature and phenological events (budding and flowering) in apple from 1977 to 2004 at six locations in Japan. Linear trends in flowering showed advancing rate in the range from 0.21 to 0.35 day yr^?1, statistically significant at three locations (P<0.05). We also found a warming trend in mean air temperature throughout March and April, with which flowering was closely correlated, in the range from 0.047 to 0.077 °C yr^?1, statistically significant at five locations (P<0.05). We separated the temperature time‐series into two components: a long‐term trend and a year‐to‐year fluctuation, by fitting smoothing spline to the trend and taking the residuals as the anomaly. We then fit a multiple regression model of phenological response to air temperature with separate coefficients for long‐term trend and anomaly. Flowering date responded to the long‐term trend at ?3.8 day °C^?1 and to the anomaly at ?4.6 day °C^?1. The temperature coefficients were not statistically different from each other or among locations, suggesting that the advance of apple phenology has predominantly been caused by the temperature increase across the locations studied. The same result was also observed with budding.     

Surface colonization of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia [Dougl. Engelm.]) roots by Pseudomonas fluorescens and Paenibacillus polymyxa under gnotobiotic conditions

Indirect immunofluorescence techniques and confocal scanning laser microscopy were used to identify rhizobacterial strains on the root surfaces of pine seedlings, which were grown from seeds under gnotobiotic conditions. Conifer plant growth promoting rhizobacterial strains Paenibacillus polymyxa L6 and Pw-2, and the forest soil isolate Pseudomonas fluorescens M20, were inoculated onto surface-disinfested pine seeds, singly, or in dual combinations: strains L6 + M20, or strains Pw-2 + M20. Segments containing particular root microsites (root tip, root hair zone, or areas of lateral root emergence) were sampled randomly from roots 7 or 13 weeks after inoculation, and the colonization of roots by each bacterium was observed. Root segments were also sampled from individual roots at six different points along the length of the root, and the qualitative colonization of younger areas, closer to the root tip, contrasted with that of older areas, closer to the root base. The ability of strain M20 to colonize root areas adjacent to sites of lateral root emergence improves in the presence of either P. polymyxa strain, while the ability of the P. polymyxa strains to colonize these areas was not affected. More rhizobacteria were also generally observed on younger root tissues than on areas closer to the root base.     

Comparative longevity of Australian orchid (Orchidaceae) seeds under experimental and low temperature storage conditions

Seeds from ten terrestrial orchid species, nine from the south‐west Australian biodiversity hotspot (Caladenia arenicola, Caladenia flava, Caladenia huegelii, Diuris laxiflora, Microtis media ssp. media, Pterostylis recurva, Pterostylis sanguinea, Thelymitra crinita and Thelymitra macrophylla) and one from south‐east Australia (Diuris fragrantissima), were placed into experimental storage to assess their relative longevity and likely optimal conditions for long‐term conservation seed banking. Seeds from all species were desiccation tolerant, germinating after drying at 23% relative humidity (C. arenicola, C. huegelii, P. sanguinea and T. macrophylla) or 5% relative humidity (C. flava, D. laxiflora, M. media ssp. media, P. recurva and T. crinita) at 23 °C. From automatedly determined moisture adsorption and desorption isotherms at 23 °C, these equate to tolerance of drying to 0.03–0.06 g water g^?1 dry weight or 0.013–0.028 g water g^?1 dry weight, respectively. Results of storage experiments at a range of moisture contents and temperatures suggest conventional seed bank storage at ?18 °C after equilibration at c. 23% relative humidity (at 23 °C) may be suitable for most of the species, although there was higher germination of P. recurva seeds stored at ?80 °C and of M. media ssp. media seeds equilibrated at 75% relative humidity. However, there was considerable variation in germination of seeds sampled after different storage periods, making it difficult to identify optimal storage conditions definitively. Results of comparative longevity storage experiments at 60% relative humidity and 40 °C suggest seeds from these orchid species are short‐lived compared with non‐orchid species, and with Australian species in particular. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 164 , 26–41.     

Occurrence and Latent Infection of Alternaria Rot of Pingguoli Pear (Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd. cv. Pingguoli) Fruits in Gansu, China

Alternaria rot of Pingguoli pear occurred after latent infection. Fruit surfaces were asymptomatic within 60 days storage under cold condition (0°C, RH 85–90%), but black‐grey hyphae could be seen in the lenticels or calyx tube of Pingguoli pear after 90 days of storage. The tissue collapsed and resulted in visible black spots as the hyphae spread over the fruit. Average incidence of Alternaria rot of fruits from an orchard in Gansu was 28.86% at 100 days of storage. The main fungus isolated from the Alternaria rot on stored Pingguoli pear was identified as Alternaria alternata (Fr. : Fr.) Keissl. This pathogen was able to initially infect the fruit via two pathways during the growing season, and then remain in a latent state. The fungus first colonized the styles at the full‐blossoming stage, and then grew into the carpel cavities progressively after 50 days from petal fall. The percentage latent infection of A. alternata was up to 45% in the carpel cavity until the harvest time. The fungus also attacked fruit surfaces and remained latent in the fruit peel during fruit development. The percentage of A. alternata latent infection at the calyx end, middle part and stem end of the fruit peel was 40%, 24% and 42.8%, respectively, at harvest time.     

Mango stem end rot pathogens — Infection levels between flowering and harvest

During flowering and fruit set of mango (Mangifera indica L.), colonisation by fungi (Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Dothiorella dominicana, Dothiorella mangiferae, Dothiorella sp., Epicoccum purpurascens and Pestalotiopsis sp.) increased as the flowers senesced and young fruit formed. In the third week after flowering, the incidence of Dothiorella dominicana and Dothiorella mangiferae associated with mango fruit-pedicel connection tissue declined coincidentally with early fruit-fall, suggesting that early infections by Dothiorella spp. may cause fruitlet abortion. Dothiorella spp. levels in fruit-pedicel connection tissue remained low for the subsequent 6 weeks, after which they increased. By 16 weeks after flowering, the incidence of Dothiorella spp., determined by isolation from fruit-pedicel connection tissue, was similar to the incidence of stem end rot caused by Dothiorella spp., which developed in fruit harvested at that time. By contrast, the frequency of detection of Dothiorella spp. in peduncle tissue peaked 11 weeks after flowering, when the levels of stem end rot developing in fruit were already similar to the levels recorded in fruit harvested at 16 weeks and later. The results suggest that in fruit and fruit-pedicel tissue, colonisation might arise from Dothiorella spp. occurring endophytically in the peduncle. The earliest indicator of stem end rot incidence at harvest was the infection level in peduncle tissue sampled 11 weeks after flowering. Early assays of peduncle tissue for Dothiorella spp. might prove useful for selecting crops with low stem end rot infection levels.     

Inner Mongolian steppe arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities respond more strongly to water availability than to nitrogen fertilization

Plant community productivity and species composition are primarily constrained by water followed by nitrogen (N) availability in the degraded semi‐arid grasslands of Inner Mongolia. However, there is a lack of knowledge on how long‐term N addition and water availability interact to influence the community structure of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, and whether AM fungi contribute to the recovery of degraded grasslands. Soils and roots of the dominant plant species Stipa grandis and Agropyron cristatum were sampled under two water levels and N) rates after 8 years. The abundance and diversity of AM fungi remained relatively resilient after the long‐term addition of water and N. Variation in the AM fungal communities in soils and roots were affected primarily by watering. AM fungal abundance and operational taxonomic unit (OTU) richness were significantly correlated with average aboveground net primary productivity and biomass of plant functional groups. Hyphal length density was significantly correlated with plant richness, the average biomass of S. grandis and perennial forbs. Both water and plant biomass had a considerable influence on the AM fungal assemblages. The tight linkages between AM fungi with aboveground plant productivity highlight the importance of plant–microbe interactions in the productivity and sustainability of these semi‐arid grassland ecosystems.     

Viability and virulence of blastospores of Metarhizium anisopliae (Metch.) Sorokin after storage in various liquids at different temperatures

Blastospores of three strains of Metarhizium anisopliae were stored in 18 liquids at 4°C, 20°C and 35°C for 18 weeks, 12 weeks or 9 days respectively. Viability was quantified by determination of their germination. In bioassays the virulence of stored blastospores was studied using adults and third instars of Locusta migratoria migratorioides (R. & F.) and compared to those of freshly produced blastospores and conidia. Generally, there was great variability in the viability of blastospores, depending on the fungal strain and the liquids used. Blastospores survived best at 4°C in 10% hydroxyethyl starch; for example, germination of M. anisopliae strain 97 still amounted to more than 80% after storage for 18 weeks. Other suitable liquids were deionized water, 25% Ringer's solution and 1% sodium alginate. The viability of blastospores stored at 20°C was considerably shorter than at 4°C. During storage for 12 weeks at 20°C the best protective liquids for M. anisopliae strain 97 were 25% Ringer's solution (43% germination), deionized water (23%) and 10% hydroxyethyl starch (23%). At 35°C, 45% of M. anisopliae strain 97 blastospores still germinated after storage for 7 days in 25% glycerol. The bioassays revealed that the virulence of blastospores after storage was comparable to that of fresh ones and even better than that of fresh conidia. In general, the LT₅₀ was about 4–6 days at an alternating day/night temperature of 28/20°C.     

Thermal acclimation of leaf and root respiration: an investigation comparing inherently fast- and slow-growing plant species

We investigated the extent to which leaf and root respiration (R) differ in their response to short‐ and long‐term changes in temperature in several contrasting plant species (herbs, grasses, shrubs and trees) that differ in inherent relative growth rate (RGR, increase in mass per unit starting mass and time). Two experiments were conducted using hydroponically grown plants. In the long‐term (LT) acclimation experiment, 16 species were grown at constant 18, 23 and 28 °C. In the short‐term (ST) acclimation experiment, 9 of those species were grown at 25/20 °C (day/night) and then shifted to a 15/10 °C for 7 days. Short‐term Q₁₀ values (proportional change in R per 10 °C) and the degree of acclimation to longer‐term changes in temperature were compared. The effect of growth temperature on root and leaf soluble sugar and nitrogen concentrations was examined. Light‐saturated photosynthesis (A_sat) was also measured in the LT acclimation experiment. Our results show that Q₁₀ values and the degree of acclimation are highly variable amongst species and that roots exhibit lower Q₁₀ values than leaves over the 15–25 °C measurement temperature range. Differences in RGR or concentrations of soluble sugars/nitrogen could not account for the inter‐specific differences in the Q₁₀ or degree of acclimation. There were no systematic differences in the ability of roots and leaves to acclimate when plants developed under contrasting temperatures (LT acclimation). However, acclimation was greater in both leaves and roots that developed at the growth temperature (LT acclimation) than in pre‐existing leaves and roots shifted from one temperature to another (ST acclimation). The balance between leaf R and A_sat was maintained in plants grown at different temperatures, regardless of their inherent relative growth rate. We conclude that there is tight coupling between the respiratory acclimation and the temperature under which leaves and roots developed and that acclimation plays an important role in determining the relationship between respiration and photosynthesis.     

Effects of cover crops, weeds and plant debris on development of Mycocentrospora acerina in caraway

This paper reports on the search for inoculum sources of Mycocentrospora acerina on caraway (Carum carvi L.). Obvious suspects are cover crops of biennial caraway and preceding crops of annual caraway. Other suspects are weeds in or alongside the field. Finally, survival structures of the fungus, chlamydospore chains, packed in plant debris or naked, are suspected. M. acerina is able to infect many plant species, including cover crops of caraway such as spinach for seed production and peas. However, the agronomical suitability of a crop to serve as a cover crop of biennial caraway proved to be a more important factor in determining caraway yield than the susceptibility of the cover crop to M. acerina. This finding was corroborated by the fact that spinach and peas as preceding crops had no significant effects on M. acerina development in spring caraway sown the next year. Dill, barley and four weed species were found as new hosts of M. acerina. The role of weed hosts, susceptible crops and plant debris in the survival of the fungus in years without caraway is discussed. Caraway sown on soil containing infested caraway straw, infested debris of other plant species or chlamydospores grown in pure culture, became infected by M. acerina. Only high inoculum densities of chlamydospores in the soil caused severe damping-off of caraway seedlings. The opportunity for disease management by agronomical means is quite limited.     

Corrigendum: Effect of soil temperature on nutrient allocation and mycorrhizas in Scots pine seedlings

(Plant and Soil 239: 173–185, 2002.)An inadvertent omission of figure captions occurred in the article by Domisch et al. Please find the correct captions below: Figure 1. Relationship between the numbers of root tips identified by the WinRHIZO programme and counted manually under a dissecting microscope (n = 128). Figure 2. (A) N, (B) P and (C) Ca content and allocation within different parts of the seedlings at 3, 6 and 9 weeks and at soil temperatures of 5, 9, 13 and 17°C. The P and Ca content of the new roots in all harvests at 5 °C and in the first harvest at 9 °C is estimated (see text for details) (n = 14). Standard errors are indicated. Figure 3. (A) Al and (B) Fe content and allocation within different parts of the seedlings at 3, 6 and 9 weeks and at soil temperatures of 5, 9, 13 and 17 °C. The Al and Fe content of the new roots in all harvests at 5 °C and in the first harvest at 9 °C soil temperature is estimated (see text for details) (n=14). Standard errors are indicated. Figure 4. (A) Total numbers of tips of new roots and (B) their relative distributions within the groups at 3, 6 and 9 weeks and at soil temperatures of 5, 9, 13 and 17 °C (n = 14; ± standard errors) Figure 5. (A) Total numbers of mycorrhiza of new roots and (B) their relative distributions within the groups at 3, 6 and 9 weeks and at soil temperatures of 5, 9, 13 and 17 °C (n = 14; ± standard errors).     

Dormancy release and seed ageing in the endangered species <Emphasis Type="Italic">Silene diclinis</Emphasis>

The influence of seed testa color, temperature and seed water content on dormancy release and seed viability loss in the endangered, endemic species Silene diclinis (Lag.) M. Laínz was evaluated. Dormant heterogeneous seeds (black, red and grey colored) were exposed to three different temperatures (5, 20, and 35°C) and two relative humidities (33 and 60%) in order to assay their dormancy release. Longevity behavior was studied for the three colored seeds, storing samples at nine different combinations of temperature (5, 20 and 35°C) and relative humidities (33, 60 and 90%). According to our findings, seed heteromorphism was not related to neither break of dormancy nor seed storage behavior. Silene diclinis seeds present dormancy after collection, and need an after-ripening period to germinate. Temperature and relative humidity are positively correlated with dormancy release and seed ageing. Therefore, both factors must be carefully controlled during seed manipulation in the laboratory for long term seed conservation purposes. When seeds are stored immediately after collection (dormant), if the temperature of storage is above the base temperature for dormancy release found in this work (between 2.7 and 1.6°C), seeds may eventually overcome dormancy. On the other hand if seeds are stored after an after-ripening period, storage at low temperature does not induce secondary dormancy.