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Deep and intermediate complex morphophysiological dormancy in seeds of Ferula gummosa (Apiaceae)
Author(s) -
Zardari Sanaz,
GhaderiFar Farshid,
Sadeghipour Hamid R.,
Zeinali Ebrahim,
Soltani Elias,
Baskin Carol C.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
plant species biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.419
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 1442-1984
pISSN - 0913-557X
DOI - 10.1111/1442-1984.12238
Subject(s) - germination , dormancy , stratification (seeds) , biology , apiaceae , seed dormancy , botany , horticulture , embryo , perennial plant , microbiology and biotechnology
We tested the hypothesis that seeds of the monocarpic perennial Ferula gummosa from the Mediterranean area and central Asia have deep complex morphophysiological dormancy. We determined the water permeability of seeds, embryo morphology, temperature requirements for embryo growth and seed germination and responses of seeds to warm and cold stratification and to different concentrations of GA 3 . The embryo has differentiated organs, but it is small (underdeveloped) and must grow inside the seed, reaching a critical embryo length, seed length ratio of 0.65–0.7, before the seed can germinate. Seeds required 9 weeks of cold stratification at <10°C for embryo growth, dormancy break and germination to occur. Thus, seeds have morphophysiological dormancy (MPD). Furthermore, GA 3 improved the germination percentage and rate at 5°C and promoted 20 and 5% germination of seeds incubated at 15 and 20°C, respectively. Thus, about 20% of the seeds had intermediate complex MPD. For the other seeds in the seed lot, cold stratification (5°C) was the only requirement for dormancy break and germination and GA 3 could not substitute for cold stratification. Thus, about 80% of the seeds had deep complex MPD.