Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-vdxz6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T17:06:56.108Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The effects of desiccation on seed survival in Acer platanoides L. and Acer pseudoplatanus L.

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2008

J. B. Dickie*
Affiliation:
Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Wakehurst Place, Ardingly, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH17 6TN, UK
K. May
Affiliation:
Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Wakehurst Place, Ardingly, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH17 6TN, UK
S. V. A. Morris
Affiliation:
Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Wakehurst Place, Ardingly, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH17 6TN, UK
S. E. Titley
Affiliation:
Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Wakehurst Place, Ardingly, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH17 6TN, UK
*
* Correspondence

Abstract

Mature seeds of Norway maple (Acer platanoides L.) are tolerant of desiccation, at least to moisture contents of about 7% (fresh weight basis), but those of sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) are killed by drying below about 45% moisture content. Sycamore seeds are thus recalcitrant; while the classification of those of Norway maple as orthodox is confirmed by the fact that between 19% and 7.5% moisture content their longevity is increased in a predictable way by reduction of seed moisturecontent. However, the period of useful storage of the latter in seed banks may be much less than for many crop species. The rates of water loss to a dry environment of both fruits and seeds of sycamore are much less than those of Norway maple, suggesting a degree of desiccationavoidance in the desiccation-intolerant species. Seed physiological maturity (maximum dry weight) occurred 2–3 weeks earlier in Norway maple than insycamore, but in both species this occurred about 150–160 days after peak flowering. Tetrazolium staining is a good indicator of embryo viability in both species, correlating well with germination test results. In Norway maple both methods of viability testing indicated that whole-seed desiccation tolerance coincided with the attainment of maximum dry weight. Tetrazolium staining indicated the development of desiccation tolerance in the radicles/hypocotyls of both species approximately 2–4 weeks before physiological maturity. Possible correlation between changes in the level of embryo dormancy during development and the acquisition of desiccation tolerance are discussed.

Type
Research Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

1

Present address: School of Biological Sciences and Environmental Health, Thames Polytechnic, Wellington St, Woolwich, London SE18 6PF, UK.

References

Berjak, P., Farrant, J.M. and Pammenter, N.W. (1989) The basis of recalcitrant seed behaviour. pp 89108 in Taylorson, R.B. (Ed.) Recent advances in the development and germination of seeds. New York, Plenum Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bewley, J.D. (1979) Physiological aspects of desiccation tolerance. Annual Review of Plant Physiology 30, 195238.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bewley, J.D., Kermode, A.R. and Misra, S.(1989) Desiccation and minimal drying treatments of seeds of castor bean and Phaseolus vulgaris which terminate development and promote germination cause changes in protein and messenger RNA synthesis. Annals of Botany 63, 317.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Buszewicz, G.M. and Gordon, A.G. (1973) Forest treeseed research. pp 2831 in Report on forest research.Forestry Commission, UK.Google Scholar
Chin, H.F. and Roberts, E.H. (1980) Recalcitrant crop seeds. Kuala Lumpur, Tropical Press Sdn. Bhd.Google Scholar
Dickie, J.B., Ellis, R.H., Kraak, H.L., Ryder, K. and Tompsett, P.B. (1990) Temperature and seed storage longevity. Annals of Botany 65, 197204.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ellis, R.H. (1988) The viability equation, seed viability nomographs and practical advice on seed storage. SeedScience and Technology 16, 2950.Google Scholar
Ellis, R.H. and Roberts, E.H. (1980) Improved equations for the prediction of seed longevity. Annals of Botany 45, 1330.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ellis, R.H., Hong, T.D. and Roberts, E.H. (1985) Handbook of seed technology for genebanks. Vol. I. Principles and methodology. Rome, IBPGR.Google Scholar
Ellis, R.H., Hong, T.D. and Roberts, E.H. (1986) Logarithmic relationship between moisture content and longevity in sesame seeds. Annals of Botany 57, 499503.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ellis, R.H., Hong, T.D. and Roberts, E.H. (1987) The development of desiccation-tolerance and maximum seed quality during seed maturation in six grain legumes. Annals of Botany 59, 2329.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ellis, R.H., Hong, T.D., Roberts, E.H. and Tao, K.L. (1990a) Low moisture content limits to relations between seed longevity and moisture. Annals of Botany 65, 493504.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ellis, R.H., Hong, T.D. and Roberts, E.H. (1990b) An intermediate category of seed storage behaviour? I. Coffee. Journal of Experimental Botany 41, 11671174.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gordon, A.G. and Rowe, D.C.F. (1982) Seed manual for ornamental trees and shrubs. Forestry Commission Bulletin 59. London, HMSO.Google Scholar
Hong, T.D. (1991) The classification of seed storage behaviour. PhD Thesis, University of Reading, UK.Google Scholar
Hong, T.D. and Ellis, R.H. (1990) A comparison of maturation drying, germination, and desiccation tolerance between developing seeds of Acer pseudoplatanus L. and Acer platanoides L. New Phytologist 116, 589596.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jones, E.W. (1944) Biological flora of the British Isles. Acer L. Journal of Ecology 32, 215252.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kermode, A.R. and Bewley, J.D. (1985) The role of maturation drying in the transition from seed development to germination. I. Acquisition of desiccation-tolerance and germinability during development of Ricinus communis L. seeds. Journal of Experimental Botany 36, 19061915.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kermode, A.R., Bewley, J.D., Dasgupta, J. and Misra, S. (1986) The transition from seed development to germination: A key role for desiccation? Horticultural Science (Suppl.) 21, 11131118.Google Scholar
King, M.W. and Roberts, E.H.(1980) A strategy for future research into the storage of recalcitrant seeds. pp 90110 in Chin, H.F. and Roberts, E.H. (Eds) Recalcitrant crop seeds. Kuala Lumpur, Tropical Press Sdn. Bhd.Google Scholar
Koorneef, M., Hanhart, C.J., Hilhorst, H.W.M. and Karssen, C.M.(1989) In vivo inhibition of seed development and reserve protein accumulation in recombinants of abscisic acid biosynthesis and responsiveness mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Physiology 90, 463469.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kotobuki, K. (1978) Seeds storage of Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki). pp 3642 in Akihama, T. and Nakajima, K. (Eds) Long term preservation of favourable germplasm in arboreal crops. Japan, Fruit Research Station MAF.Google Scholar
Larcher, W. (1985) Kälte und Frost. pp 107326 in Sorauer, P. (Found.) Handbuch der Pflanzenkrankheiten, Vol. I, 7th Edn. Berlin, Parey.Google Scholar
Levitt, J. (1980) Responses of plants to environmental stresses. Vol. II. Water, radiation, salt and other stresses. New York, Academic Press.Google Scholar
Moore, R.P. (1973) Tetrazolium staining for assessing seed quality. pp 347366 in Heydecker, W. (Ed.) Seed ecology. London, Butterworths.Google Scholar
Olsen, D.F. Jr and Gabriel, W.J. (1974) Acer L. maple. pp 187194 in Schopmeyer, C.S. (Tech. Coord.) Seeds of woody plants in the United States, Agriculture Handbook No.450. Washington DC, Forest Service, USDA.Google Scholar
Payne, C.D. (1987) (Ed.) The GLIM System Release 3.77 Manual—Edition 2. Oxford, NAG.Google Scholar
Pigott, C.D. and Warr, S.J. (1989) Pollination, fertilisation and fruit development in sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus L.). New Phytologist 111, 99103.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pinfield, N.J., Stutchbury, P.A. and Bazaid, S.M. (1987) Seed dormancy in Acer: is there a common mechanism for all Acer species and what part is played in it by abscisic acid? Physiologia Plantarum 71, 365371.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pinfield, N.J., Stutchbury, P.A., Bazaid, S.A. and Gwarazimba, V.E.E. (1990a). Abscisic acid and the regulation of embryo dormancy in the genus Acer. Tree Physiology 6,7985.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pinfield, N.J., Bazaid, S.A. and Gwarazimba, V.E.E. (1990b) Hormonal control of development, dormancy induction and precocious germination in Acer seeds. Journal of Plant Physiology 136, 746749.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pritchard, H.W. (1991) Water potential and embryonic axis viability in recalcitrant seeds of Quercus rubra. Annals of Botany 67, 4349.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Probert, R.J. and Longley, P.L. (1989) Recalcitrant seed storage physiology in three aquatic grasses (Zizania palustris, Spartina anglica and Porteresia coarctata). Annalsof Botany 63, 5363.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pukacka, S. (1983) Phospholipid changes and loss ofviability in Norway maple (Acer platanoides L.) seeds. Zeitschrift für Pflanzenphysiologie 112, 199205.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roberts, E.H. (1973) Predicting the storage lifeof seeds. Seed Science and Technology 1, 499–51.Google Scholar
Roberts, E.H. and Ellis, R.H. (1989) Water and seed survival. Annals ofBotany 63, 3952.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shaw, R.H. and Loomis, W.E. (1950) Bases for the prediction of corn yields. Plant Physiology 25, 225244.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Thomas, H., Webb, D.P. and Wareing, P.F. (1973) Seed dormancy in Acer: maturation inrelation to dormancy in Acer pseudoplatanus L. Journal of Experimental Botany 24, 958967.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tompsett, P.B. (1984) Desiccation studies in relation to the storage ofAraucaria seed. Annals of Applied Biology 105, 581586.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tompsett, P.B. (1987) Desiccation and storage studies on Dipterocarpus seeds. Annals of Applied Biology 110, 371379.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Villiers, T.A. (1973) Ageing and the longevity of seeds in field conditions. pp 265288 in Heydecker, W. (Ed.) Seed ecology. London, Butterworths.Google Scholar
Warr, S.J. (1986) Factors affecting fruit development, fruit production and seedling survival of sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus L.). MPhil Dissertation, University of Lancaster, UK.Google Scholar