New Zealand Journal of Botany abstracts
Seed dormancy and germination of a panel of New Zealand plants suitable for re-vegetation
A. C. Mackay
C. R. Mcgill
D.W. Fountain
R. C. Southward
Centre for Plant Reproduction and Seed Technology
College of Sciences
Massey University
Private Bag 11 222
Palmerston North, New Zealand
Abstract Seeds of Carex trifida, Coprosma robusta, Cyperus ustulatus, Hebe stricta, Leptospermum scoparium, Muehlenbeckia australis, Myrsine australis, Phormium tenax, P. tenax ‘Yellow Wave’, and Sophora prostrata were assessed for germination and dormancy. Seeds of Carex trifida, Cyperus ustulatus, and Myrsine australis showed no germination in light or dark at 20°C, but a high percentage of seed of Carex and Cyperus germinated after 12 weeks of low stratification. Despite high viability, germination of Myrsine australis seeds was low and occurred only after 12 weeks of low temperature stratification. Germination was low for Muehlenbeckia australis in the light, at 20°C, but increased after 4 weeks of low temperature stratification. After 12 months, 50% of Coprosma robusta seeds germinated but germination was greater after 4 weeks or more of stratification. No seeds of Coprosma robusta or Muehlenbeckia australis germinated in the dark. Rapid germination of Hebe stricta seeds was obtained, with 100% of the seed germinating in the light but 7% in the dark. Leptospermum scoparium had rapid germination, with 100% germinating in the light but 3% in the dark. A low percentage of Phormium tenax seeds germinated in both the light and dark in the first month with no further germination, but after 8 weeks or more of low temperature stratification there was almost complete germination. There was rapid germination of Sophora prostrata seeds with 100% of the seed germinating in the light and dark.
Keywords Carex trifida; Coprosma robusta; Cyperus ustulatus; Hebe stricta; Muehlenbeckia australis; Myrsine australis; Phormium tenax; Phormium tenax ‘Yellow Wave’;Sophora prostrata; seed; germination; dormancy; stratification
B02051 Received 9 July 2002; accepted 9 August 2002; published 11 September 2002
New Zealand Journal of Botany, 2002, Vol. 40: 373-382
0028-825X/02/4003-0373 $7.00 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2002
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