The Effects of Short-Term Storage on Germination in Meconopsis Vig. (Papaveraceae)

The viability and germination rate of seed of five species and four cultivars of Meconopsis was tested. The seed was stored in both refrigerated (c.4°C) conditions and at ambient temperature (8–17°C) to reflect typical conditions for seed storage in the smaller botanical garden and amateur enthusiast’s collection. Seed that had been stored in each of these conditions was sown sequentially 2, 3, 4 and 5 months after harvest. Seed batches were also treated with 0.25mg/l gibberellic acid (GA) or left untreated. Each of the four combination treatments was associated with an overall reduction in viability and germination rate as time after harvest increased (to a minimum of 66.7% viability and 33.7% germination, except for two species with high viability but no germination in the study period). These reductions were not significantly different between treatments, and use of GA did not significantly increase germination rate. We studied the role of underlying genetic relations on germination by relating our results to the most recent comprehensive phylogeny of the genus, and we suggest that ecology plays a more important role than phylogeny in germination.