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Revisiting the pericarp as a barrier restricting water entry/loss from cotyledons and embryonic axis of temperate desiccation-sensitive Quercus acorns

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Abstract

Main conclusions

Fully mature acorns of Quercus variabilis, Q. aliena, Q. mongolica, and Q. glandulifera are desiccation-sensitive. X-ray computer tomography showed that cotyledons shrink during drying, but embryos are protected.

Abstract

Information available on recalcitrant acorns of tropical and sub-tropical species of Quercus suggests that an impermeable pericarp, which limits the entry and loss of water only through the hilum (scar), is the underlying mechanism that prevents drying of the embryo axis following dispersal until the germination season. However, there is a lack of consensus supporting this proposition across species, and it is not well understood if such mechanisms occur in temperate Quercus species. This study investigated the significance of the acorn pericarp for temperate oak species and presents an ecological framework based on the post-dispersal climatic conditions. Using Quercus variabilis, Q. aliena, Q. mongolica, and Q. glandulifera acorns, the relationship between moisture content (MC) and germination was established, and X-ray computed tomography (X-ray CT) was used to understand the internal structural changes of cotyledons and embryonic axis occurring during desiccation. Water entry and exit routes through the scar, pericarp and apex were determined by imbibition and drying experiments. Climatic data and acorn morphological characteristics and germination were subjected to a principal component analysis (PCA). Freshly dispersed acorns of all species had a moisture content (MC) above 35% fresh weight (FW) basis, but drying to 15–10% MC resulted in complete loss of viability, implying recalcitrance behaviour. X-ray CT images suggested that the pericarp offers some protection to cotyledons and embryonic axis during desiccation, but it is contingent on MC. Extensive drying to a low MC with the scar and apex covered with vaseline resulted in internal tissues shrinkage, corresponding with viability loss. Water could enter or exit through the pericarp, albeit at a much slower rate than through the scar. A combination of factors including acorn anatomy, moisture content at the time of dispersal, microhabitat, the position of acorns in the soil prevent embryo desiccation below the critical MC and thus promotes survival of acorns on/in the soil during winter in temperate regions. Pericarp anatomy, to some extent, prevents excessive drying of the embryonic axis by slowing water movement, but prolonged drying or predatory pressure could result in pericarp cracks, favouring the absorption of water during sporadic rain. In the latter case, the survival of acorns possibly depends extensively on the continuous erratic rainfall, i.e. continuous wet-dry cycle, but in-situ experiments are yet to be performed to test this hypothesis.

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Data availability

All the data used in this work are presented in the form of table or figure.

Abbreviations

CP:

Cotyledon-pericarp

CT:

Computed tomography

MC:

Moisture content

PC:

Principal component

PCA:

Principal component analysis

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Acknowledgements

We thank Prof. Carol Baskin for her comment on an earlier version of the manuscript and Prof. Hugh Pritchard for his discussion with oak seed morphology. Financial support by National Science Foundation China (NSFC) with grant number 32001119 to carry out studies on seeds with impermeable coat is gratefully acknowledged. Funders have no role in design, writing, and publication of the research.

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  1. Han Kang and Ganesh K. Jaganathan equal first authors.

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  1. Germplasm Conservation Laboratory, Department of Health Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

    Han Kang, Ganesh K. Jaganathan, Yingying Han, Jiajin Li & Baolin Liu

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Kang, H., Jaganathan, G.K., Han, Y. et al. Revisiting the pericarp as a barrier restricting water entry/loss from cotyledons and embryonic axis of temperate desiccation-sensitive Quercus acorns. Planta 257, 33 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-022-04061-4

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