Enhancement of Seed Germination inTrema orientalis(L.) Blume—Potential Plant Species in Revegetation of Mine Wastelands

Abstract

Natural forest succession takes a long time to accumulate sufficient nutrients to support plant growth and enhance soil microbial activity. Human intervention in selecting native pioneer plant species is therefore required to accelerate sustainable restoration. Trema orientalis (L.) Blume, a fast growing pioneer plant species, has the ability to grow in nutrient deficient soils and proves to have reclamation potential in mine wastelands. However, its use has been limited due to low germination percentages and nonsynchronous seed germination. In the present study we tested the effect of sulphuric acid (H 2 SO 4 ), hydrochloric acid (HCl), gibberellic acid (GA 3 ), and potassium nitrate (KNO 3 ) in varying concentrations and time durations on germination percentages and seed germination synchrony. We found that all treatments had a significant effect in predicting seed germination probabilities. Logistic regression analysis revealed that treatment solution and concentration had a significant effect on seed germination. Treatment with concentrated H 2 SO 4 for 15 min increased germination up to 92% within 20 days with the least imbibition time (8 days) and highest Seedling Vigor Index (491). The scanning electron microscope images of seeds treated with H 2 SO 4 showed complete dissolution of the honeycomb-like network of deposits on the seed coat surface removing the physical barrier and enhancing germination.

Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on early development of persimmon seedlings

“…Inoculation with AM fungi has been found to enhance the growth of seedlings of several fruit crops and has helped to achieve high production levels (Rodrigues and Rodrigues, 2014). In our study, we tested the effects of inoculation with five different AMF species on the early vegetative development of persimmon seedlings under sterile sandy soil conditions of Brazil, this being the first report on persimmon inoculation in that country.…”

Trema orientale (L.) Blume: A review of its taxonomy, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities and domestication potential

“…Similarly, the highest growth uniformity of 74.75 % and 72 % before storage and after storage respectively was obtained by subjecting T. orientale seeds to a hydrated-dehydrated procedure [ 99 ]. Studies by Rodrigues and Rodrigues [ 101 ], indicated the potential of enhancing the seeds of T . orientale through different pre-treatment options.…”

Composition Characteristics of an Urban Forest Soil Seed Bank and Its Influence on Vegetation Restoration: A Case Study in Dadu Terrace, Central Taiwan

“…The drupes of T. orientalis are bird feeding [70], and the seeds are suborthodox [71] and are commonly found in the soil seed banks in low-elevation forests in Taiwan [3,16,[20][21][22]30,52]. T. orientalis is also a fast-growing pioneer species common after forest disturbances in tropical forests in Asia [2,[72][73][74][75], and is a species with forest restoration potential [76]. In the Trema orientalis type at Dadu Terrace, due to the presence of T. orientalis parent trees and the fact that T. orientalis seeds need to be stimulated by variable temperature or light to break dormancy and germinate out of the soil [68], T. orientalis seeds can continuously accumulate in the soil seed bank under the shade of their parent tree.…”