Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T05:18:15.079Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Sensitivity cycling and its ecological role in seeds with physical dormancy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 March 2009

K.M.G. Gehan Jayasuriya ,
Jerry M. Baskin  and
Carol C. Baskin
K.M.G. Gehan Jayasuriya*
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40506, USA
Jerry M. Baskin
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40506, USA
Carol C. Baskin
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40506, USA Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40546, USA
*
*Correspondence Fax: +94-81-238 8018 Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Cycling of physically dormant (PY) seeds between states insensitive and sensitive to dormancy-breaking factors in the environment has recently been demonstrated in Fabaceae and Convolvulaceae, and it may be a common phenomenon in seeds with water-impermeable seed coats. In contrast to seeds of many species with physiological dormancy (PD), those with PY cannot cycle between dormancy and non-dormancy (ND). In this paper, we evaluate the role of sensitivity cycling in controlling the timing of germination of seeds with PY in nature, and show that sensitivity cycling in seeds with PY serves the same ecological role as dormancy cycling in seeds with PD. Thus, sensitivity cycling in seeds with PY ensures that germination in nature occurs only at (a) time(s) of the year when environmental conditions for growth are, and are likely to remain, suitable long enough for the plant to complete its life cycle or to form a perennating structure. Further, we describe the experimental procedures necessary to determine whether sensitivity cycling is occurring, and discuss briefly the possible relevance of sensitivity cycling to dormancy classification.

Keywords

dormancy cyclinghilar fissurephysical dormancysensitivity cyclingwater gap
Type
Research Opinion
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 19 , Issue 1 , March 2009 , pp. 3 - 13
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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

Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG) (2003) An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG II. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 141, 399–436.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baker, K.S., Steadman, K.J., Plummer, J.A., Merritt, D.J. and Dixon, K.W. (2005) Dormancy release in Australian fire ephemeral seeds during burial increases germination response to smoke water or heat. Seed Science Research 15, 339–348.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baskin, C.C. (2003) Breaking physical dormancy in seeds – focusing on the lens. New Phytologist 158, 229–232.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
Baskin, J.M. and Baskin, C.C. (1985) The annual dormancy cycle in buried weed seeds: a continuum. BioScience 35, 492–498.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baskin, J.M. and Baskin, C.C. (2000) Evolutionary considerations of claims for physical dormancy-break by microbial action and abrasion by soil particles. Seed Science Research 10, 409–413.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baskin, J.M. and Baskin, C.C. (2003) Classification, biogeography, and phylogenetic relationships of seed dormancy. pp. 517–544in Smith, R.D.; Dickie, J.B.; Linnington, S.H.; Pritchard, H-W.; Probert, R.J. (Eds) Seed conservation: turning science into practice. Kew, The Royal Botanic Gardens.Google Scholar
Baskin, J.M. and Baskin, C.C. (2004) A classification system for seed dormancy. Seed Science Research 14, 1–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baskin, J.M., Baskin, C.C. and Li, X. (2000) Taxonomy, anatomy and evolution of physical dormancy in seeds. Plant Species Biology 15, 139–152.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baskin, J.M., Davis, B.H., Baskin, C.C., Gleason, S.M. and Cordell, S. (2004) Physical dormancy in seeds of Dodonaea viscosa (Sapindales, Sapindaceae) from Hawaii. Seed Science Research 14, 81–90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baskin, J.M., Baskin, C.C. and Dixon, K.W. (2006) Physical dormancy in the endemic Australian genus Stylobasium, a first report for the family Surianaceae (Fabales). Seed Science Research 16, 229–232.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Benvenuti, S., Dinelli, G., Bonetti, A. and Catizone, P. (2005) Germination ecology, emergence and host detection in Cuscuta campestris. Weed Research 45, 270–278.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bradford, K.J. (2002) Applications of hydrothermal time to quantifying and modeling seed germination and dormancy. Weed Science 50, 248–260.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Callihan, R.H. (1933) The hard seed mechanism in Convolvulus arvensis L. and influence of environmental variables upon germination. MSc thesis, Oregon State College, Corvallis, USA.Google Scholar
Christensen, C.M. and Kaufmann, H.H. (1969) Grain storage: the role of fungi in quality loss. Minneapolis, University of Minnesota Press.Google Scholar
Christensen, C.M. and Sauer, D.B. (1982) Microflora. pp. 210–241in Christensen, C.M. (Ed.) Storage of cereals grains and their products. St. Paul, USA, American Association for Cereal Chemists.Google Scholar
Copeland, L.O. and McDonald, M.B. (2001) Principles of seed science and technology (4th edition). New York, Chapman and Hall.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Courtney, A.D. (1968) Seed dormancy and field emergence in Polygonum aviculare L. Journal of Applied Ecology 5, 675–684.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Daws, M.I., Orr, D., Burslem, D.F.R.P. and Mullins, C.E. (2006) Effect of high temperature on chalazal plug removal and germination in Apeiba tibourbou Aubl. Seed Science and Technology 34, 221–225.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dell, B. (1980) Structure and function of the strophiolar plug in seeds of Albizia lophantha. American Journal of Botany 67, 556–563.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Egley, G.H. and Paul, R.N. (1982) Development, structure and function of subpalisade cells in water impermeable Sida spinosa seeds. American Journal of Botany 69, 1402–1409.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Finch-Savage, W.E. and Leubner-Metzger, G. (2006) Seed dormancy and the control of germination. New Phytologist 171, 501–523.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Graven, P., De Koster, C.G., Boon, J.J. and Bouman, F. (1997) Functional aspects of mature seed coat of the Cannaceae. Plant Systematics and Evolution 205, 223–240.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hagon, M.W. and Ballard, L.A.T. (1970) Reversibility of strophiolar permeability to water in seeds of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.). Australian Journal of Biological Sciences 23, 519–528.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hanna, P.J. (1984) Anatomical features of the seed coat of Acacia kempeana (Mueller) which relate to increased germination rate induced by heat treatment. New Phytologist 96, 23–29.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harrington, J.F. (1960) Drying, storing, and packaging seed to maintain germination and vigor. Seedsmen's Digest 11, 16, 56–57, 64, 66 and 68.Google Scholar
Hilhorst, H.W.M. and Karssen, C.M. (1992) Seed dormancy and germination: the role of abscisic acid and gibberellins and the importance of hormone mutants. Plant Growth Regulation 11, 225–238.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hutchison, J.M. and Ashton, F.M. (1979) Effect of desiccation and scarification on the permeability and structure of the seed coat of Cuscuta campestris. American Journal of Botany 66, 40–46.CrossRefGoogle 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, 244–256.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jayasuriya, K.M.G.G. (2008) Comparative biology of seed dormancy-break and germination in Convolvulaceae (Asterids, Solanales). PhD dissertation, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.Google Scholar
Jayasuriya, K.M.G.G., Baskin, J.M., Geneve, R.L. and Baskin, C.C. (2007) Morphology and anatomy of physical dormancy in Ipomoea lacunosa: identification of the water gap in seeds of Convolvulaceae (Solanales). Annals of Botany 100, 13–22.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jayasuriya, K.M.G.G., Baskin, J.M. and Baskin, C.C. (2008a) Cycling of sensitivity to physical dormancy-break in seeds of Ipomoea lacunosa (Convolvulaceae) and ecological significance. Annals of Botany 101, 341–352.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jayasuriya, K.M.G.G., Baskin, J.M., Geneve, R.L., Baskin, C.C. and Chien, C-T. (2008b) Physical dormancy in seeds of the holoparasitic angiosperm Cuscuta australis (Convolvulaceae, Cuscuteae): dormancy breaking requirements, anatomy of the water gap and sensitivity cycling. Annals of Botany 102, 39–48.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jayasuriya, K.M.G.G., Baskin, J.M. and Baskin, C.C. (2008c) Dormancy, germination requirements and storage behaviour of seeds of Convolvulaceae (Solanales) and evolutionary considerations. Seed Science Research 18, 223–237.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jayasuriya, K.M.G.G., Baskin, J.M., Geneve, R.L. and Baskin, C.C. (2008d) Phylogeny of seed dormancy in Convolvulaceae, subfamily Convolvuloideae (Solanales). Annals of Botany 103, 45–63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jayasuriya, K.M.G.G., Baskin, J.M., Geneve, R.L. and Baskin, C.C. (in press a) A proposed mechanism for physical dormancy break in seeds of Ipomoea lacunosa (Convolvulaceae). Annals of Botany.Google Scholar
Jayasuriya, K.M.G.G., Baskin, J.M., Geneve, R.L. and Baskin, C.C. (in press b) Sensitivity cycling and mechanism of physical dormancy break in seeds of Ipomoea hederacea (Convolvulaceae). International Journal of Plant Sciences.Google Scholar
Jones, R.O. and Geneve, R.L. (1995) Seedcoat structure related to germination in eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis L.). Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science 120, 123–127.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, X., Baskin, J.M. and Baskin, C.C. (1999) Anatomy of two mechanisms of breaking physical dormancy by experimental treatments in seeds of two North American Rhus species (Anacardiaceae). American Journal of Botany 86, 1505–1511.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Manning, J.C. and Van Staden, J. (1987) The function of the testa in seeds of Indigofera parviflora (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae). Botanical Gazette 148, 23–34.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morrison, D.A., McClay, K., Porter, C. and Rish, S. (1998) The role of the lens in controlling heat-induced breakdown of testa-imposed dormancy in native Australian legumes. Annals of Botany 82, 35–40.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nandi, O.I. (1998) Ovule and seed anatomy of Cistaceae and related Malvanae. Plant Systematics and Evolution 209, 239–264.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Norsworthy, J.K. and Oliveira, M.J. (2007) Role of light quality and temperature on pitted morningglory (Ipomoea lacunosa) germination with after-ripening. Weed Science 55, 111–118.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Poljakoff-Mayber, A., Somers, G.F., Werker, E. and Gallagher, J.L. (1992) Seeds of Kosteletzkya virginica (Malvaceae): their structure, germination and salt tolerance. I. Seed structure and germination. American Journal of Botany 79, 249–256.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rangaswamy, N.S. and Nandakumar, L. (1985) Correlative studies on seed coat structure, chemical composition and impermeability in the legume Rhynchosia minima. Botanical Gazette 146, 501–509.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roberts, E.H. (1972) Dormancy: a factor affecting seed survival in the soil. pp. 321–349in Roberts, E.H. (Ed.) Viability of seeds. Syracuse, Syracuse University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rolston, M.P. (1978) Water impermeable seed dormancy. The Botanical Review 44, 365–390.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schafer, D.E. and Chilcote, D.O. (1970) Factors influencing persistence and depletion in buried seed populations. II. The effects of soil temperature and moisture. Crop Science 10, 342–345.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Serrato-Valenti, G., De Vries, M. and Cornara, L. (1995) The hilar region in Leucaena leucocephala Lam. (De Wit) seed: structure, histochemistry and the role of the lens in germination. Annals of Botany 75, 569–574.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shaw, M.F. (1929) A microchemical study of the fruit coat of Nelumbo lutea. American Journal of Botany 16, 259–276.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shen-Miller, J., Mudgett, M.B., Schopf, J.W., Clarke, S. and Berger, R. (1995) Exceptional seed longevity and robust growth: ancient sacred lotus from China. American Journal of Botany 82, 1367–1380.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Simpson, G.M. (1990) Seed dormancy in grasses. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor, G.B. (1981) Effect of constant temperature treatments followed by fluctuating temperatures on the softening of hard seeds of Trifolium subterraneum L. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 8, 547–558.Google Scholar
Taylor, G.B. (1996) Effect of the environment in which seeds are grown and softened on the incidence of autumn seed softening in two species of annual medics. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 47, 141–159.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor, G.B. (2005) Hardseededness in Mediterranean annual pasture legumes in Australia: a review. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 56, 645–661.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor, G.B. and Ewing, M.A. (1996) Effects of extended (4–12 years) burial on seed softening in subterranean clover and annual medics. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 36, 145–150.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor, G.B. and Revell, C.K. (1999) Effect of pod burial, light, and temperature on seed softening in yellow serradella. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 50, 1203–1209.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylorson, R.B. (1970) Phytochrome controlled changes in dormancy and germination of buried weed seeds. Weed Science 27, 7–10.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Telewski, F.W. and Zeevaart, J.A.D. (2002) The 120-yr period for Dr. Beal's seed viability experiment. American Journal of Botany 89, 1285–1288.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Thanos, C.A. and Georghiou, K. (1988) Ecophysiology of fire stimulated seed germination in Cistus incanus ssp. creticus (L.) Heywood and C. salvifolius. Plant, Cell and Environment 11, 841–849.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thompson, K. (2000) The functional ecology of soil seed banks. pp. 215–229in Fenner, M. (Ed.) Seeds: the ecology of regeneration in plant communities (2nd edition). Wallingford, UK, CABI Publishing.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Assche, J.A. and Vandelook, F.E.A. (2006) Germination ecology of eleven species of Geraniaceae and Malvaceae, with special reference to the effects of drying seeds. Seed Science Research 16, 283–290.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Assche, J.A., Debucquoy, L.A. and Rommens, A.F. (2003) Seasonal cycles in the germination capacity of buried seeds of some Leguminosae (Fabaceae). New Phytologist 158, 315–323.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walters, C., Wheelar, L.M. and Grotenhuis, J.M. (2005) Longevity of seeds stored in a genebank: species characteristics. Seed Science Research 15, 1–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar