Physiological dormancy in seeds of tropical montane woody species in Hawai`i |
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Authors: | Carol C. Baskin Jerry M. Baskin Alvin Yoshinaga Dustin Wolkis |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA;2. Center for Conservation Research and Training, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA;3. Department of Science and Conservation, National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kalāheo, Hawaii, USA |
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Abstract: | Worldwide, there is relatively little information on seed dormancy and germination of tropical montane species. Our aim was to help fill this knowledge gap by conducting seed dormancy/germination studies on woody species from this vegetation zone in Hawai`i. All species had water-permeable seeds with a fully developed embryo. Seeds of 29 species (23 genera) were incubated in light/dark at 15/6, 20/10 and 25/15°C and germination monitored at 2-week intervals for 16–128 weeks. Seeds of Chenopodium oahuense, Dubautia menziesii and Silene lanceolata were non-dormant (ND) and those of 26 other species had physiological dormancy (PD); 10 of the 26 species had conditional PD. The optimum germination temperature regime(s) was (were) 25/15°C, 17 species; 25/10 and 20/10°C, 2; 20/10°C, 6; 20/10 and 15/6°C, 2; and 15/6°C, 2. Worldwide, PD in the woody genera included in our study is more common than ND. In addition to its contribution to the world biogeography of seed dormancy/germination, this study will be useful to conservation biologists who need to germinate seeds of tropical montane species. |
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Keywords: | conditional dormancy fully developed embryo non-dormant seeds physiological dormancy tropical montane zone |
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