Premium
Influence of physico‐chemical parameters of the aquatic medium on germination of Eichhornia crassipes seeds
Author(s) -
Albano Pérez E.,
Ruiz Téllez T.,
Sánchez Guzmán J. M.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
plant biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.871
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1438-8677
pISSN - 1435-8603
DOI - 10.1111/j.1438-8677.2010.00425.x
Subject(s) - germination , eichhornia crassipes , biology , nutrient , phosphorus , potassium , nitrate , botany , agronomy , aquatic plant , horticulture , ecology , chemistry , macrophyte , organic chemistry
The germination of seeds of Eichhornia crassipes in locations distant from the foci of infestation may be a means of dispersal of this invasive plant. Nonetheless, no modern studies have examined the influence of single components on germination, although the influence of temperature, oxygen and redox potential was examined in earlier studies. The effects of pH, conductivity, nitrate, phosphate, potassium, calcium, iron and boron on germination of E. crassipes were determined in seed germination tests. The results showed that external input of nutrients influences germination, since neither pH nor conductivity alone had any effect, but there was a significant increase in germination in growth media containing phosphorus at 3.95 mg·l −1 (P/L; 95.5%) and boron at 10 mg·l −1 (B/L; 97.5%); at higher concentrations, the latter was toxic. These findings contribute to knowledge of factors controlling the germination of E. crassipes seeds. Consequently, E. crassipes seeds would find very good conditions for germination in water classified as hypereutrophic, which may play a decisive role in expansion of this plant.