Articles
The role of temperature in dormancy breaking and seed germination of the threatened Balkan endemic plant Lilium rhodopeum Delip.
Article number
1453_10
Pages
75 – 80
Language
English
Abstract
Lilium rhodopeum Delip. is a threatened Balkan endemic plant found in the Rhodopi mountain range across the borderline of Greece and Bulgaria.
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of temperature on seed germination and define the dormancy type of L. rhodopeum seeds.
The germination response was evaluated using controlled growth chambers at five constant temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25°C) with a 12-h light/12-h dark photoperiod.
The results showed that seed germination was affected by temperature; the seeds germinated only at the low temperature of 5°C (67.50%), with the first germinated seeds appearing on the 11th week from the beginning of the germination test.
The non-germinated seeds that were incubated at 10, 15, 20 and 25°C were transferred to 5°C at the end of the 10th week.
The percentage and the germination timing were affected by the temperature to which they were subjected during the first 10 weeks.
The seeds from the 10 and 15°C chambers that were transferred to the 5°C chamber germinated at 77.50 and 72.50%, respectively, while those transferred from the 20 and 25°C chambers to that of 5°C showed significantly reduced germination percentages (43.75 and 21.25%, respectively). The mature seeds of L. rhodopeum showed a fully developed embryo.
According to the observed germination behaviour, the seeds of L. rhodopeum exhibited physiological dormancy, as only their exposure to low temperature (5°C) resulted in the release of dormancy leading to germination.
Moreover, in the germinated seeds which were planted in pots under greenhouse conditions, no delay was observed in the emergence of cotyledonary leaf.
The knowledge of the germination requirements of L. rhodopeum seeds is expected to support both in situ and ex situ conservation efforts, further allowing the sustainable exploitation of this attractive, yellow-flowered species as a new native ornamental plant.
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of temperature on seed germination and define the dormancy type of L. rhodopeum seeds.
The germination response was evaluated using controlled growth chambers at five constant temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25°C) with a 12-h light/12-h dark photoperiod.
The results showed that seed germination was affected by temperature; the seeds germinated only at the low temperature of 5°C (67.50%), with the first germinated seeds appearing on the 11th week from the beginning of the germination test.
The non-germinated seeds that were incubated at 10, 15, 20 and 25°C were transferred to 5°C at the end of the 10th week.
The percentage and the germination timing were affected by the temperature to which they were subjected during the first 10 weeks.
The seeds from the 10 and 15°C chambers that were transferred to the 5°C chamber germinated at 77.50 and 72.50%, respectively, while those transferred from the 20 and 25°C chambers to that of 5°C showed significantly reduced germination percentages (43.75 and 21.25%, respectively). The mature seeds of L. rhodopeum showed a fully developed embryo.
According to the observed germination behaviour, the seeds of L. rhodopeum exhibited physiological dormancy, as only their exposure to low temperature (5°C) resulted in the release of dormancy leading to germination.
Moreover, in the germinated seeds which were planted in pots under greenhouse conditions, no delay was observed in the emergence of cotyledonary leaf.
The knowledge of the germination requirements of L. rhodopeum seeds is expected to support both in situ and ex situ conservation efforts, further allowing the sustainable exploitation of this attractive, yellow-flowered species as a new native ornamental plant.
Authors
E. Pipinis, S. Kostas, A. Stampoulidis, S. Panagiotopoulou, I. Anestis, M. Kozoni, F. Koutsou, G. Tsoktouridis, N. Krigas, S. Hatzilazarou
Keywords
ex situ conservation, in situ conservation, incubation temperature, physiological dormancy, sexual propagation, Liliaceae
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