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Germination of Aesculus hippocastanum seeds following cold‐induced dormancy loss can be described in relation to a temperature‐dependent reduction in base temperature ( T b ) and thermal time
Author(s) -
Steadman Kathryn J.,
Pritchard Hugh W.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1469-8137.2003.00940.x
Subject(s) - germination , stratification (seeds) , dormancy , aesculus hippocastanum , seed dormancy , horticulture , biology , botany
Summary• The effect of moist stratification at cool temperatures on Aesculus hippocastanum (horse chestnut) seed dormancy release and subsequent thermal time requirement for germination has been investigated. • Germination performance following over 50 different treatments, each varying in time and temperature of stratification and germination to a total test time of over 3 yr, was used to develop a predictive model for dormancy release and germination. • Stratification at 2–16°C caused a reduction in base (minimum) temperature for germination ( T b ), being fastest at the colder temperatures. Using the sigmoid relationship between rate of reduction in T b and stratification temperature, seed germination can be predicted in relation to thermal time accumulation above a gradually reducing T b . Newly shed unstratified seeds, seeds with reduced viability, and seeds on the brink of germination because of T b being close to stratification temperature, did not conform to the model. • Tb is not constant during dormancy release in horse chestnut seeds. A reduction in T b in response to cold stratification may be characteristic of summer annuals, suggesting future applications for this approach in seed ecology studies.