BA: 

19970308993

ET: 

Ecophysiology of seed germination in composites inhabiting fire-prone Mediterranean ecosystems.

AU: 

Doussi, M. A.; Thanos, C. A.

ED: 

Ellis, R. H.; Black, M.; Murdoch, A. J.; Hong, T. D.

AA: 

Department of Botany, University of Athens, Athens 15784, Greece.

SO: 

Basic and applied aspects of seed biology. Proceedings of the fifth international workshop on seeds, held at Reading, UK on 10-15 September 1995., 1997, pp.641-649, 20 ref.

AB: 

Within the framework of a research project concerning adaptive mechanisms of postfire regeneration in Mediterranean ecosystems, the ecophysiology of seed germination was studied in the following composites: Dittrichia viscosa , Helichrysum stoechas subsp. barrelieri and Phagnalon graecum . All three species are common in the Mediterranean region; the former is a colonizer while the other two are usually present in phrygana (low-shrub, fire-prone Mediterranean vegetation). As the result of their numerous, anemochorous dispersal units the three species are endowed with the potential to invade disturbed areas, in general, and burned ones, in particular. Germination in D. viscosa was generally very low in the dark (0-10%). Moreover, an absolute light requirement was revealed and germination could be promoted even by green safelight. In H. stoechas , final dark germination reached its highest value (ca. 50%) at relatively low temperatures (10 or 15 deg C). Light and nitrate (optimal concentration 20 mM) promoted germination dramatically above that in dark controls. Nevertheless, full induction of germination required the presence of both these factors. P. graecum germinated optimally (70-100%) over a broad temperature range (10-25 deg C), in the dark. However, light proved beneficial at suboptimal temperatures. In the three species studied, light and, in the case of H. stoechas , nitrate availability are particularly important for seed germination and eventual seedling recruitment in the postfire environment.

DE: 

seed germination; germination; light; temperature

ID: 

Dittrichia viscosa; Helichrysum stoechas subsp. barrelieri; Phagnalon graecum; Basic and applied aspects of seed biology

PU: 

Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, Netherlands

IS: 

0-7923-4363-8

CO: 

Basic and applied aspects of seed biology. Proceedings of the fifth international workshop on seeds, held at Reading, UK on 10-15 September 1995.

CC: 

PP720

NB: 

Current Plant Science and Biotechnology in Agriculture No. 30

LA: 

English

DT: 

Conference paper

SC: 

Seed Abstracts