EFFECTS OF STRATIFICATION AND COLD STORAGE ON THE SEED GERMINATION CHARACTERISTICS OF CASCADE HUCKLEBERRY AND OVAL-LEAVED BILBERRY

Seed germination characteristics were determined for cascade huckleberry (Vaccinium deliciosum Piper) and oval-leaved bilberry (V. ovalifolium Smith). A 20°C day/13°C night, 12h photoperiod protocol increased germination by 20% and 14% for cascade huckleberry and 54% and 66% for oval-leaved bilberry fresh and dried seeds, respectively, compared with a 28°C day/13°C night, 14-hour protocol.
Using the 20°C day/13°C night protocol, air drying fresh seeds at room temperature for 7 days had no affect on germination percentages for either species.
Under the same temperature protocol, stratification at 2 to 4°C was ineffective in increasing germination percentages for oval-leaved bilberry and only marginally effective for increasing cascade huckleberry germination.
Storage of dried cascade huckleberry seeds at 2 to 4°C for 30 months reduced cumulative germination by approximately 11% and 14%, respectively, compared with seeds stored similarly for 0 or 6 months.
For oval-leaved bilberry, the same storage conditions for 6 or 30 months reduced cumulative germination by 3% and 13%, respectively, compared with dried, unstored seeds.
Visually sorting seeds previously screened through a 500 μm mesh sieve increased maximum germination by up to 14% for cascade huckleberry and up to 28% for oval-leaved bilberry.

IX International Vaccinium Symposium

B. Shafii, W.J. Price, D.L. Barney, O.A. Lopez

Vaccinium deliciosum, Vaccinium ovalifolium, Myrtillus, cascade bilberry, blue huckleberry, oval-leaved blueberry, Alaska blueberry, logistic regression, drying

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2009.810.80