Sowing seeds for the future: the need for establishing protocols for the study of seed dormancy

Abstract

Seed dormancy is a widely misunderstood plant trait. In several research areas, a lack of germination is wrongly assumed to result from seed dormancy. In an attempt to standardize seed dormancy research and improve communication among seed scientists, a straightforward protocol to address the occurrence and causes of seed dormancy is provided. Standardizing communication is not just a theoretical exercise but also has practical implications in agriculture and conservation. Standardization will make studies comparable and hence we will have a deeper understanding of the physiology, ecology and evolution of seed dormancy. A better understanding of the various aspects of seed dormancy will lead to greater appreciation of the biogeographical and phylogenetic distribution of seed dormancy among our flora.

Habitat‐related seed germination traits in alpine habitats

“…Finally, replicates were treated as a covariable. According to the data collected from the literature and the germination response observed here, species were assigned a type and class of dormancy following the Baskin and Baskin classification () and Silveira's diagram Silveira (). For example, when the FGP of seeds incubated at 3 or 5 CS were significantly higher than FGP at 0 CS, the embryo was fully developed at dispersal and the seed coat was permeable, seeds were considered PD (for further information about the classification criteria used see Table a,b).…”

Dormancy and germination: making every seed count in restoration

“…Restoration practitioners must be able to correctly assign seed dormancy classes because treatments to alleviate seed dormancy are specific to each class (Silveira ; Erickson et al ; Kildisheva et al ; Kildisheva ). Applying the wrong treatment can at best result in failure to break dormancy and at worst kill the seeds.…”

“…To ensure restoration outcomes meet their objectives and quality standards, it is important to maintain accurate records of the seed dormancy status and germination requirements across seed batches using standardized methods and criteria (Silveira ; Frischie et al 2020). As a minimum, the following information should be reported for each seed batch: Collection site description , including geographic coordinates, soil type, and vegetation community Collection information , including the date of seed collection, the number of fruits sampled per individual, the number of individuals sampled, an estimate of population size, and sampling strategy Seed cleaning and quality information , including any techniques used to clean seeds, the percentages of seed fill, and the number of viable seeds Seed storage information , including the length and conditions under which seeds where stored Dormancy testing data , including the results of imbibition testing, the specific environmental conditions, the duration of seed germination experiments, the details of presowing treatments, and the germination results …”

Almacenamiento de semillas y germinación de Stenocereus thurberi , una cactácea con viviparidad facultativa

“…(Sarcobataceae, orden Caryophyllales), destaca por ser evidentemente viví-para, germina sobre la planta madre pero no se había mencionado como tal, ya que muchas semillas (24%) tienen el ápice de la radícula expuesta y el crecimiento es continuo hasta formar una plántula en una hora (Eddleman, 1979); el resto de las semillas (76%) requieren de uno a dos meses de post-maduración para germinar. Es probable que el bajo porcentaje de germinación en las semillas de Stenocereus thurberi, con antecedente de viviparidad menor al 50%, esté relacionado con latencia morfo-fisiológica, en razón de que el embrión parece subdesarrollado o quizá esté fisiológica-mente latente, de acuerdo con la clasificación explícita de Baskin y Baskin (2004) y la diagramada por Silveira (2013); sin embargo, lo anterior se deberá confirmar mediante estudios morfo-anatómicos, enzimáticos y hormonales involucrados en el desarrollo funcional de los embriones; de momento, se está de acuerdo en que hay un tiempo diferencial entre la germinación de las semillas de ambos grupos, que en términos de competencia y establecimiento facilita la permanencia sobre el sitio, con la ventaja de reducir la carga competitiva, y persistir aún, bajo las condiciones tér-micas e hídricas severas que prevalecen al sur del Desierto Sonorense.…”