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Effect of Gibberellic Acid on Dark and Light Germination at Different Temperatures of Calluna, Ledum and Rhododendron Seeds
Author(s) -
JUNTTILA OLAVI
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
physiologia plantarum
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.351
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1399-3054
pISSN - 0031-9317
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-3054.1972.tb03575.x
Subject(s) - calluna , germination , gibberellic acid , ericaceae , dormancy , darkness , biology , botany , seed dormancy , horticulture , white light , chemistry , physics , optics
The aim of the experiments was to study the effects of gibberellic acid (GAs) on the germination of Calluna vulgaris L., Ledum palustre L. and Rhododendron lapponicum (L.) Wahlenb. seeds under different environmental conditions. Under continuous light from white fluorescense tubes (3000 lux), untreated seeds of Calluna were partly dormant at all temperatures studied (9, 15, 21, 27, 27/9, 8/16 hours). Percentage of dormant seeds increased, however, with decreasing temperature, and it varied also from seed lot to seed lot. Untreated seeds of Ledum were dormant in light at 9° and 15°C but not at higher temperatures. Untreated seeds of Rhododendron were completely dormant in light at temperatures from 13° to 24°C. Seeds of all species were completely dormant in darkness both at 15° and 27°C. GA 3 stimulated greatly the germination of all species under all studied environmental conditions. The used concentrations (0.2–3.2 m M ) gave nearly 100% germination in most cases. At 9°C the dormancy in some seed lots of Calluna and Ledum was only partly broken by the used concentrations of GA 3 .