A comparison of the seed dormancy characteristics of Spartina patens and Spartina alterniflora (Poaceae)

Seed dormancy characteristics of spartina alterniflora were delineated previously by Plyler and Carrick (American Journal of Botany, vol. 80. pp. 752-756. 1993). This study was undertaken in order to determine whether or not the dormancy characteristics of S. patens are similar. As in the previous s...

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Published inAmerican journal of botany Vol. 83; no. 1
Main Authors Plyler, D.B. (University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, NC.), Proseus, T.E
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published 01.01.1996
Subjects
ABA
ACIDO GIBERELICO
AGENTES NOCIVOS
DORMANCE
DORMICION
ENFRIAMIENTO
ESCARIFICACION
FACTEUR NUISIBLE
FUSICOCCINA
FUSICOCCINE
GERMINACION
GERMINATION
GIBBERELLINE
GRAINE
LEVEE DE DORMANCE
LUMIERE
LUZ
REFROIDISSEMENT
SALIDA DE LA LATENCIA
SCARIFICATION
SEMILLA
SPARTINA ALTERNIFLORA
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Summary:Seed dormancy characteristics of spartina alterniflora were delineated previously by Plyler and Carrick (American Journal of Botany, vol. 80. pp. 752-756. 1993). This study was undertaken in order to determine whether or not the dormancy characteristics of S. patens are similar. As in the previous study, the site of a dormancy mechanism was determined by assessing the germinability of surgically altered dormant seeds. Likewise, the effects of three growth-regulating substances (abscisic acid, fusicoccin, and gibberellic acid), prechilling, and light were studied by assessing the germinability of appropriately treated dormant seeds. Surgical injury to the endosperm, and to a lesser extent the scutellum, produced significant germination in S. patens whereas only injury to the scutellum produced germination in S. alterniflora. Exogenously applied abscisic acid was highly effective in maintaining dormancy in injured seeds of both species. Gibberellic acid and fusicoccin were ineffective in promoting germination in S. patens but fusicoccin was highly effective in breaking dormancy in S. alterniflora. Prechilling was effective in breaking dormancy in S. patens but not in S. alterniflora. In S. patens, treatments that broke dormancy were only successful when seeds were exposed to light during the germination period. It is concluded that the dissimilarities in the dormancy mechanisms may be manifestations of the different environmental adaptations these closely related species display
Bibliography:9700130
F60
F62
ISSN:0002-9122
1537-2197
DOI:10.1002/j.1537-2197.1996.tb13868.x