Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-tf8b9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T00:35:36.486Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Onset of germinability, desiccation tolerance and hardseededness in developing seeds of Peltophorum pterocarpum (DC) K. Heyne (Caesalpinioideae)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2007

T. Mai-Hong
Affiliation:
University of Agriculture and Forestry, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
T.D. Hong
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, The University of Reading, Earley Gate, PO Box 237, Reading, RG6 6AR, UK
N.T. Hien
Affiliation:
University of Agriculture and Forestry, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
R.H. Ellis*
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, The University of Reading, Earley Gate, PO Box 237, Reading, RG6 6AR, UK
*
*Correspondence: Fax: + 44 118 3788297, Email: [email protected]

Abstract

In the hot and dry conditions in which seeds of the tree legume Peltophorum pterocarpum develop and mature in Vietnam, seed moisture content declined rapidly on the mother plant from 87% at 42 d after flowering (DAF) to 15% at 70 DAF. Dry weight of the pods attained a maximum value at about 42 DAF, but seed mass maturity (i.e. the end of the seed-filling phase) occurred at about 62 DAF, at which time seed moisture content was about 45–48%. The onset of the ability of freshly collected seeds to germinate (in 63-d tests at 28–34°C) occurred at 42 DAF, i.e. about 20 d before mass maturity. Full germination (98%) was attained at 70 DAF, i.e. at about 8 d after mass maturity. Thereafter, germination of fresh seeds declined, due to the imposition of a hard seed coat. Tolerance of desiccation to 10% moisture content was first detected at 56 DAF and was complete within the seed population by 84 DAF, i.e. about 22 d after mass maturity. Hardseededness began to be induced when seeds were dried to about 15% moisture content and below, with a negative logarithmic relation between hardseededness and moisture content below this value.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2003

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.)

References

Argel, P.J. and Humphreys, L.R. (1983) Environmental effects on seed development and hardseededness in Stylosanthes hamata cv. Verano. III. Storage humidity and seed characteristics. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 83, 279287.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baskin, C.C. and Baskin, J.M. (1998) Seeds: Ecology, biogeography, and evolution of dormancy and germination. San Diego Academic Press.Google Scholar
Bhodthipuks, J., Pukittayacamee, P., Saelim, S., Wang, B.S.P. and Yu, S.L. (1996) Rapid viability testing of tropical tree seed. Training course proceedings no. 4. Thailand, ASEAN Forest Tree Seed Centre Project.Google Scholar
Chayamarit, K. (1986) Leguminous plants in the mangrove formations in Thailand. Thai Forest Bulletin 16, 119153.Google Scholar
Ellis, R.H. and Pieta Filho, C. (1992) Seed development and cereal seed longevity. Seed Science Research 2, 915.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ellis, R.H. and Roberts, E.H. (1982) Desiccation, rehydration, germination, imbibition injury and longevity of pea seeds (Pisum sativum). Seed Science and Technology 10, 501508.Google Scholar
Ellis, R.H., Hong, T.D. and Roberts, E.H. (1985) Handbook of seed technology for genebanks. Volume I. Principles and methodology. Rome, International Board for Plant Genetic Resources.Google 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
Gladstones, J.S. (1958) The influence of temperature and humidity in storage on seed viability and hard-seededness in the west Australian blue lupin, Lupinus digitatus Forsk. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 9, 171181.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hop, T. and Ha, H.Q. (1997) The hundred forest woody species of the southern Vietnam. Vietnam, Agriculture Publishing of Ho Chi Minh City.Google Scholar
Hyde, E.O.C. (1954) The function of the hilum in some Papilionaceae in relation to the ripening of the seed and the permeability of the testa. Annals of Botany 18, 241256.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
ISTA (International Seed Testingm Association). (1999) International rules for seed testing. Seed Science and Technology 27 (suppl.).Google Scholar
Kay, B.L., Pergler, C.C. and Graves, W.L. (1984) Storage of seed of Mojave desert shrubs. Journal of Seed Technology 9, 2028.Google Scholar
Khattra, S. and Singh, G. (1992) Desiccation induced hardseededness in Cajanus cajan (L.) Mill. sp. Seed Research 20, 120123.Google Scholar
Mabberley, D.J. (1993)The plant book. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Ng, F.S.P. (1978) Strategies of establishment in Malayan forest trees. pp. 129162in Tomlinson, P.B.;Zimmermann, M.H.; (Eds) Tropical trees as living systems. The proceedings of the fourth Cabot symposium held at Harvard Forest, Petersham, Massachusetts, 26– 30 April 1976. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Porter, R.H. (1949) Recent developments in seed technology. Botanical Review 15, 221344.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sanhewe, A.J. and Ellis, R.H. (1996) Seed development and maturation in Phaseolus vulgaris I. Ability to germinate and to tolerate desiccation. Journal of Experimental Botany 47, 949958.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Suryanto, E., Ali, J.H., Ahmad, S.S., and Ahmad, F.H. (1999) Field trial of leaf powder of Peltophorum pterocarpum against golden apple snail in rice. pp. 9697in Hong, L.W.Sastroutomo, S.S.Caunter, I.G.Ali, J.;Yeang, L.K.Vijaysegaran, S.Sen, Y.H. (Eds) Biological control in the tropics: towards efficient biodiversity and bioresource management for effective biological control. Proceedings of the symposium on biological control in the tropics, held at MARDI training centre, Serdang, Malaysia, 18–19 March 1999. Walingford, UK, CABI Publishing.Google Scholar
van Noordwijk, M., Hairiah, K.M., Syekhfani, S. and Flach, E.N. (1991) Peltophorum pterocarpa (DC) Back (Caesalpiniaceae), a tree with root distribution suitable for alley cropping on acid soils in the humid tropics. pp. 526532. in McMichael, B.L.;Persson, H. (Eds) Plant roots and their environment. Amsterdam Elsevier Science Publishers.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
van Noordwijk, M., Hairiah, K.M., Sitompul, S.M. and Syekhfani, M.S. (1992) Rotational hedgerow intercropping + Peltophorum pterocarpum = New hope for weed-infested soils. Agroforestry Today 4, 46.Google Scholar
Zanakis, G.N., Ellis, R.H. and Summerfield, R.J. (1994) Seed quality in relation to seed development and maturation in three genotypes of soybean (Glycine max). Experimental Agriculture 30, 139156.CrossRefGoogle Scholar