Abstract Soil salinity is one of the major abiotic stresses affecting seed germination, crop growth and productivity. In this study, seeds of three wheat (Triticum aestiveum L.) and three barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars were treated with different concentrations of NaCl to investigate the effect of salt on seed germination physiology and metabolism through the characterization of seed germination pattern, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) shunt metabolite accumulation [GABA, glutamate (Glu) and alanine (Ala)] and glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) expression using RT-PCR. A trend of decreasing germination percentage with increasing NaCl concentrations was observed. Under all salt stress treatments, data showed significant increase with positive correlation (r = 0.50–0.99) between abundance of GABA shunt metabolites and salt concentration in all wheat and barley cultivars for 5 days. Increased GABA content was associated with a small but significant increase in Ala and Glu content in all cultivars. In all NaCl treatments, the transcription of GAD in terms of RNA abundance showed a significant increase in all cultivars with positive correlation (r = 0.50–0.98). Data showed significant association between GAD RNA transcription and the response of germinating seeds to salt stress in terms of GABA shunt metabolite accumulation. The elevated expression of GAD under salinity suggests the need for elevated activity of the GAD-mediated conversion of Glu to GABA during seed germination, which provides alternative metabolic routes to the respiratory machinery, balancing carbon and nitrogen metabolism and osmolyte synthesis in germinating seeds of wheat and barley under salt stress.

Abstract We examined the combined effects of temperature, carbon dioxide (CO2) and watering regime during seed maturation on subsequent germinability and total phenolics ofArabidopsis thaliana[wild-type (WT) andabi1-1mutant] seeds. Mature seeds were collected from plants that were grown under lower (22/18°C, 16 h light and 8 h dark) or higher (28/24°C, 16 h light and 8 h dark) temperatures, at ambient (400 μmol mol–1) or elevated (700 μmol mol–1) CO2concentration, and well-watered or water-stressed. Germinated and non-germinated (viable, rotten and empty) seed percentages, germination rate and total phenolics were determined for both genotypes. Higher maturation temperatures increased seed germination percentage, but decreased germination rate, percentage of rotten and non-germinated viable seeds, and total phenolics. Elevated CO2increased seed total phenolics. Water stress decreased the percentage of non-germinated viable seeds. Neither of the two latter factors affected other measured parameters. Seeds of theabi1-1mutant had higher total phenolics. The fate of seeds was mostly affected by higher temperatures and water stress. Also, seeds of theabi1-1mutant had higher germination rate, empty seed percentage and total phenolics than seeds of the WT genotype. Germination percentage was highest for the WT seeds that matured on the water-stressed plants that were grown under higher temperatures at ambient CO2. It can be concluded that higher temperatures had highest effects on seed germinability and other parameters, and elevated CO2did not alleviate the negative effects of higher temperatures on seed viability.

Abstract The wheat bZip transcription factor TaABF1 mediates both abscisic acid (ABA)-induced and ABA-suppressed gene expression. As levels of TaABF1 protein do not change in response to ABA, and TaABF1 is in a phosphorylated statein vivo, we investigated whether TaABF1 could be regulated at the post-translational level. In bombarded aleurone cells, a TaABF1 protein carrying phosphomimetic mutations (serine to aspartate) at four sites (S36D, S37D, S113D, S115D) was three to five times more potent than wild-type TaABF1 in activatingHVA1, an ABA-responsive gene. The phosphomimetic mutations also increased the ability of TaABF1 to downregulate the ABA-suppressed geneAmy32b. These findings strongly suggest that phosphorylation at these sites increases the transcriptional regulatory activity of TaABF1. In contrast to the activation observed by the quadruple serine to aspartate mutation, a single S113D mutation completely eliminated the ability of TaABF1 to upregulateHVA1or downregulateAmy32b. Thus phosphorylation of TaABF1 can either stimulate or inhibit the activity of TaABF1 in regulating downstream genes, depending on the site and pattern of phosphorylation. Mutation of S318 and S322 (in the bZIP domain) eliminated the ability of TaABF1 to activateHVA1, but had no effect on the ability of TaABF1 to downregulateAmy32b, suggesting that TaABF1 repressesAmy32bexpression through a mechanism other than direct DNA binding. An important step towards understanding how ABA and gibberellin (GA) signals are integrated through TaABF1 phosphorylation to regulate downstream gene expression is to clarify the effects of those hormones on the expression of specific genes. In contrast to some other ABA-induced genes, we found thatHVA1induction by ABA or TaABF1 is not inhibited by GA.

Abstract Mangroves are highly adapted to extreme environmental conditions that occur at the interface of salt and fresh water. Adaptations to the saline environment during germination are a key to mangrove survival, and thereby, its distribution. The main objective of this research was to study the effect of salinity on seed germination of selected mangrove species and the application of a hydrotime model to explain the relationship between water potential of the medium and rate of seed germination. Germination of seeds was examined at 15, 25 and 35°C in light/dark over a NaCl gradient. Germination time courses were prepared, and germination data were used to investigate whether these species behave according to the principles of the hydrotime model. The model was fitted for the germination of Acanthus ilicifolius seeds at 25°C. Final germination percentage was significantly influenced by species, osmotic potential and their interaction at 25°C. Moreover, temperature had a clear effect on seed germination (Sonneratia caseolaris and Pemphis acidula) which interacted with osmotic potential. Only A. ilicifolius seeds behaved according to the hydrotime principles and thus its threshold water potential was –1.8 MPa. Optimum germination rates for seeds of the other species occurred at osmotic potentials other than 0 MPa. The descending order of salinity tolerance of the tested species was Aegiceras corniculatum > Sonneratia caseolaris > Acanthus ilicifolius > Pemphis acidula > Allophylus cobbe, suggesting that the viviparous species (A. corniculatum) is highly salt tolerant compared with the non-viviparous species. The results revealed that seeds of the study species exhibited facultative halophytic behaviour in which they can germinate over a broad range of saline environments. Use of a hydrotime model for mangroves was limited as germination of their seeds did not meet model criteria.

An abstract is not available for this content. As you have access to this content, full HTML content is provided on this page. A PDF of this content is also available in through the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Abstract Niche theory predicts that when two species exhibit major niche overlap, one will eventually be eliminated through competitive exclusion. Thus, some degree of niche specialization is required to facilitate coexistence. We examined whether two important seed bank pathogens on the invasive winter annual grass Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass, downy brome) exhibit niche specialization. These pathogens utilize seed resources in complementary ways. Pyrenophora semeniperda is specialized to attack dormant seeds. It penetrates directly through the seed coverings. Hyphae ramify first through the endosperm and then throughout the seed. Seed death results as the embryo is consumed. In contrast, the Fusarium seed rot pathogen (Fusarium sp.) is specialized to attack non-dormant seeds in the early stages of germination. It cannot penetrate seed coverings directly. Instead, it responds to a cue emanating from the radicle end with directional hyphal growth and subsequent penetration at the point of radicle emergence, causing seed death. Non-dormant seeds usually escape P. semeniperda through germination even if infected because it develops more slowly than Fusarium. When water stress slows non-dormant seed germination, both P. semeniperda and Fusarium can attack and cause seed mortality more effectively. The Fusarium seed rot pathogen can sometimes reach epidemic levels and may result in B. tectorum stand failure (‘die-off’). Stands usually re-establish from the persistent seed bank, but if P. semeniperda has also reached high levels and eliminated the seed bank, a die-off can persist indefinitely.

Abstract Rapid, non-destructive methods for measuring seed germination and vigour are valuable. Standard germination and seed vigour were determined using 81 soybean seed lots. From these data, seed lots were separated into high and low germinating seed lots as well as high, medium and low vigour seed lots. Near-infrared spectra (950–1650 nm) were collected for training and validation samples for each seed category and used to create partial least squares (PLS) prediction models. For both germination and vigour, qualitative models provided better discrimination of high and low performing seed lots compared with quantitative models. The qualitative germination prediction models correctly identified low and high germination seed lots with an accuracy between 85.7 and 89.7%. For seed vigour, qualitative predictions for the 3-category (low, medium and high vigour) models could not adequately separate high and medium vigour seeds. However, the 2-category (low, medium plus high vigour) prediction models could correctly identify low vigour seed lots between 80 and 100% and the medium plus high vigour seed lots between 96.3 and 96.6%. To our knowledge, the current study is the first to provide near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)-based predictive models using agronomically meaningful cut-offs for standard germination and vigour on a commercial scale using over 80 seed lots.

Abstract Physical dormancy (PY) occurs in at least 18 angiosperm plant families and is caused by water-impermeable palisade cells in seed (or fruit) coats. Breaking of PY involves disruption or dislodgement of water-gap structures causing the seeds/fruits to become water permeable (non-dormant). The water-gap region is a morphologically distinct area of the seed or fruit coat that forms a water-gap complex. The location, anatomy, morphology and origin of water-gaps can differ between and even within families and genera. Water-gap structures sense environmental conditions that allow seeds with PY to become permeable just prior to the commencement of conditions favourable for germination and plant establishment. There are three basic water-gap morpho-anatomies characterized by the way the water-gap opens: Type-I, Type-II and Type-III. In Type-I water-gaps, specific kinds of cells pull apart to form a surface opening, while in Type-II a portion of the surface structure is pulled away from adjacent cells, opening the water-gap. Type-III is the least common type and has a circular, plug-like structure that is dislodged, whereby water entry occurs. In addition, water-gap complexes are either simple or compound, depending on whether only a single primary water-gap structure is involved in dormancy release or an additional secondary water-gap structure opens, permitting water entry.

Abstract Differences in fruit morphology among or within species might indicate differences in other regenerative traits, such as seed dormancy and germination. In species with physical dormancy (PY), environmental conditions are suggested to be responsible for dormancy break in field. Seeds of Vachellia caven have PY. This species exhibits two fruit morphs highly represented in Córdoba forests, Argentina: one is dehiscent and the other is indehiscent. In this study we performed a burial experiment with the aim to determine if the differences in V. caven fruit morphology were related to different patterns of PY break of their seeds in field conditions. We related these patterns to (1) environmental conditions that could influence the loss of PY, and (2) histological features of the lens zone. Seeds of both morphs exhibited dormancy break within 14 months of the start of the experiment, but with different patterns. The dehiscent morph showed an abrupt percentage of seeds that broke dormancy 14 months after the beginning of the experiment, probably after undergoing environmental changes similar to those suggested by the two-stage softening model. The indehiscent morph showed a gradual increase in seeds that broke dormancy, not clearly related to any of the environmental variables studied. No differences in seed coat structure of the lens zone were observed between morphs. The existence of both morphs could confer the species with higher possibilities of establishing and coping with environmental heterogeneity. Those characteristics contribute to the understanding of the success of this species in open and disturbed environments.

Abstract Germination studies at the community level are crucial for understanding and predicting changes in species distribution patterns, particularly in endangered plant communities. We investigated the effects of dry (11–25% relative humidity) and freezing (–18°C) storage conditions, phylogeny and plant life-history traits (life-form, life-span, microhabitat and seed dispersal mode) on seed germination percentage (GP) and time to reach 50% germination (T50) of 53 species native to pine rocklands in South Florida, USA, a globally critically imperiled ecosystem. Most species we studied (68%) withstood dry and freezing storage conditions and thus ex situ seed banking can assist their long-term conservation. Bayesian mixed effect models revealed that there was a significant phylogenetic signal in GP and T50 across species. Life-history covariates did not explain significant additional variation in GP in models controlling for the phylogenetic relationships among species. T50 differed among species with contrasting dispersal modes, with animal-dispersed seeds exhibiting more delayed germination than wind-dispersed or unassisted seeds. Differential germination responses across species with different seed dispersal modes have implications for potential shifts in species composition under disturbance and climate change. Thus, knowledge of species-relatedness and some life-history traits such as seed dispersal mode can significantly assist management decisions regarding seed storage and conservation of subtropical endangered plants.