Germination studies on three critically endangered endemic angiosperm species of the Kashmir Himalaya,India |
| |
Authors: | Abdul Rashid Dar Zafar Reshi Ghulam Hassan Dar |
| |
Institution: | (1) Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, 190 006, Jammu and Kashmir, India |
| |
Abstract: | The critically endangered and perennial alpine endemic angiosperms, namely, Aquilegia nivalis, Lagotis cashmeriana and Meconopsis latifolia inhabit such habitats in the Kashmir Himalaya that are characterised by short growing season and heavy snow cover for about
3–4 months during winter season. The seeds of these species under natural conditions experience a long period of pre-chilling
during winter prior to their germination in following spring season. Taking cue from such a requirement, present study investigated
the effect of chilling and exogenous application of growth hormones, NO3
− and NH4
+ on total percent germination of otherwise deep-dormant seeds of these species, under alternate light/dark and continuous
dark light regimes. Prolonged pre-chilling followed by treatment of seeds with different doses of GA3 had a pronounced stimulatory effect on the total germination percentage in all the three species. In fact, highest germination
percentage in A. nivalis was recorded only when pre-chilled seeds were treated with 1.5 mM GA3 under alternate light/dark conditions. Likewise, germination of pre-chilled seeds of L. cashmeriana with ruptured seed coats was improved when treated with various concentrations of GA3. Seed germination in M. latifolia was also favourably influenced by treatment of pre-chilled seeds with GA3 or nitrogen applied either as NO3
− or as NH4
+ under alternate light/dark conditions. Treatment of seeds with kinetin (6-furfuryl-aminopurine) had no significant influence
on germination percentage in any of the three species. Thus, prolonged chilling of seeds followed by their treatment with
GA3 under alternate light/dark conditions are the requirements necessary for seed germination in these species. |
| |
Keywords: | Alpine Perennial Seeds Alternate light/dark conditions Pre-chilling |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|