Germination of Prosopis juliflora (Sw) DC seeds after scarification treatments

Abstract

Invasive plant species are the second most important threat to global biodiversity loss after land-use change. Invasive species can modify native community composition, deplete species diversity and affect ecosystem processes. The Caatinga is one of the most human-affected Brazilian ecosystems owing to non-sustainable use of its natural resources. Prosopis juliflora is an important invasive plant species in the Caatinga ecosystem. Seed germination is a critical stage in plant life cycles and is a major factor in the establishment and success of invasive plant species. Among the factors that affect seed germination and dormancy, coat-imposed seems to be the most important for P. juliflora. In Prosopis species, the ingestion of fruits by wild and domestic animals may promote and accelerate germination, enhancing the dispersal of seeds and fruits of these species. We investigated the germination capacity of P. juliflora seeds after artificial mechanical and chemical scarification and analyzed the changes in seedling vigor caused by the scarification treatments. Germination rate, germination time (TMG) and germination synchrony (E) differed significantly with the length of the scarification treatments in H2SO4 for both seeds with endocarps and seeds without endocarps (non-endocarp seeds). Sulfuric acid affected plant survival more strongly than germination rate, particularly in non-endocarp seeds.

Sexual and asexual reproductive aspects of Leontochir ovallei, a rare and endangered geophyte of the Atacama Desert

“…By contrast, when seeds of L. ovallei were merely treated with acid (treatment # 1), the physical barrier imposed by the seed coat was only partially reduced and the percentage of germination was similar to the reported for Alstroemeria magnifica (approximately 9%) [55]. The germination of L. ovallei obtained with acid scarification was quite low compared with the germination of other plants adapted to arid lands, which can be close to 98% after acid scarification in the case of woody leguminous plants such as Prosopis juliflora and Acacia nilotica [52,53,56]. This finding suggests that factors other than the waterproof coats must be removed to enable full germination of the seeds of this species and perhaps other family members, highlighting the potential role of aeration during water imbibition of these seeds.…”

“…This suggests that cutting might induce an important modification at the seed coat level (e.g., relaxing the physical tension imposed in the cell wall by the cell wall proteins, cellulose and lignin) [52][53][54]. By contrast, when seeds of L. ovallei were merely treated with acid (treatment # 1), the physical barrier imposed by the seed coat was only partially reduced and the percentage of germination was similar to the reported for Alstroemeria magnifica (approximately 9%) [55].…”

Germination of Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) D.C. seeds at different osmotic potentials and temperatures

“…Furthermore, the mechanical dormancy exhibited by P. juliflora (Miranda et al . ) allows the lifespan of the seeds to be extended, allowing the formation of a persistent seed bank in the soil and the distribution of the germination over time and space. This strategy can increase the likelihood that the species will find conditions for the establishment of their seedlings.…”

“…The seeds were pretreated with H 2 SO 4 for 5 min (Miranda et al . ), surface sterilized in a 1% solution of NaOCl for 10 min, and rinsed five times with sterile deionized water. Seeds were allowed to germinate in 110 mm × 110 mm × 35 mm germination boxes lined with a triple layer of filter paper and moistened with 20 mL of sterile solution plus Mycostatin solution 100 mg/L) (Bristol‐Myers Squibb Pharmaceutics, New York, NY, USA) prior to incubation to control fungi.…”

Continuous biosynthesis of abscisic acid (ABA) may be required for maintaining dormancy of isolated embryos and intact seeds of Euonymus alatus

“…Seed dormancy (often observed as ''poor'' seed germination) is an important characteristic of many invasive plant species (Miranda et al 2011). Poor germination (prolonged seed dormancy) helps invasive plants to become more serious invaders because the dormancy ensures periodic germination and prevents seedlings from sprouting during unfavorable conditions (Dalling et al 2011).…”