Open AccessSeed Anatomy and Water Uptake in Relation to Seed Dormancy in Opuntia tomentosa (Cactaceae, Opuntioideae)
Author(s) -
Alma OrozcoSegovia,
Judith MárquezGuzmán,
María Esther SánchezCoronado,
Alicia GamboadeBuen,
J. M. Baskin,
C. C. Baskin
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
annals of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.567
H-Index - 176
eISSN - 1095-8290
pISSN - 0305-7364
DOI - 10.1093/aob/mcm001
Subject(s) - dormancy , biology , germination , palisade cell , coat , seed dormancy , botany , scarification , desiccation , viral tegument , horticulture , ecology , virology
There is considerable confusion in the literature concerning impermeability of seeds with 'hard' seed coats, because the ability to take up (imbibe) water has not been tested in most of them. Seeds of Opuntia tomentosa were reported recently to have a water-impermeable seed coat sensu lato (i.e. physical dormancy), in combination with physiological dormancy. However, physical dormancy is not known to occur in Cactaceae. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine if seeds of O. tomentosa are water-permeable or water-impermeable, i.e. if they have physical dormancy.