Articles
TECHNOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF CHAMAEROPS HUMILIS L. GERMINATION CAPACITY
Article number
1003_19
Pages
145 – 149
Language
English
Abstract
The Chamaerops humilis L. (dwarf fan palm) is the only northern native palm species occurring in the Western Mediterranean where it plays an important ecological role in the typical Mediterranean scrub vegetation.
The aim of this work was to increase the knowledge about the technological aspects of fan palm regeneration, particularly on the germination capacity and the growth kinetic, useful for species conservation, correct storage and propagation programs.
Mature seeds were sowed in petri dishes and incubated under controlled conditions until the emergence of the cotyledonary petiole (CP). Different pre-sowing treatments were tested: scarification by 96% H2SO4, mechanical scarification, and water soaking.
The germination capacity was always up to 90%, even from un-treated seeds, lower result was achieved only after water soaking (72.5% GC). No substantial differences were observed about the time of germination.
Germinated seeds were then placed in glass pots, with river sand, in order to study the growth of the remote germination elements.
The growth was considered complete when secondary radicles were observed.
This stage took almost 38 days.
The complete plants showed a cotyledonary cord about 3.8 cm, a cotyledonary ocrea of 2.7 cm, a plumule of 2.3 cm and a main radicle of 5.8 cm.
The cumulative growth was on average 0.39 cm/day.
The aim of this work was to increase the knowledge about the technological aspects of fan palm regeneration, particularly on the germination capacity and the growth kinetic, useful for species conservation, correct storage and propagation programs.
Mature seeds were sowed in petri dishes and incubated under controlled conditions until the emergence of the cotyledonary petiole (CP). Different pre-sowing treatments were tested: scarification by 96% H2SO4, mechanical scarification, and water soaking.
The germination capacity was always up to 90%, even from un-treated seeds, lower result was achieved only after water soaking (72.5% GC). No substantial differences were observed about the time of germination.
Germinated seeds were then placed in glass pots, with river sand, in order to study the growth of the remote germination elements.
The growth was considered complete when secondary radicles were observed.
This stage took almost 38 days.
The complete plants showed a cotyledonary cord about 3.8 cm, a cotyledonary ocrea of 2.7 cm, a plumule of 2.3 cm and a main radicle of 5.8 cm.
The cumulative growth was on average 0.39 cm/day.
Authors
A. Giovino, S. Scibetta, A.S. Fodale
Keywords
pre-sowing treatments, germination ability, cotyledonary elements
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