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Seed germination ecology of the threatened endemic Iberian Delphinium fissum subsp. sordidum (Ranunculaceae)

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Abstract

Seeds of Delphinium fissum subsp. sordidum are physiologically dormant at maturity, with underdeveloped embryos; thus they have morphophysiological dormancy (MPD). The aims of this study were to determine the requirements for embryo growth, dormancy break and germination, to characterise the type of seed dormancy and to evaluate the effects of light, seed age, pollination mechanism, and inter-annual and inter-population variability on germinative ability. After 3 months of incubation at 5°C (cold stratification) in darkness conditions, the mean embryo length increased from 5.6 to 2.07 mm, with 76% of seeds germinating. Conversely, embryos of seeds incubated during 3 months at 20/7 or 28/14°C hardly grew and no germination was recorded. Since cold stratification was the only requirement for the loss of MPD, and both dry storage in laboratory conditions and warm stratification prior to cold stratification shortened the cold stratification period required for germination, it could be concluded that D. fissum subsp. sordidum seeds have intermediate complex MPD. Cold stratification and incubation in darkness conditions promoted higher germination percentages than those in light. In addition, germinative ability increased with seed age up to 8 months (reaching 96% at 5°C in darkness), showed a pronounced inter-annual and inter-population variability, as well as a significant decrease in seeds coming from pollination by geitonogamy. High temperatures (25/10 or 28/14°C) induced seeds to secondary dormancy, so seedling emergence in the greenhouse was restricted to February–March. The requirements for dormancy break and germination reflect an adaptation to trigger germination in late winter. This study is the first one to document a gradual increase in germination percentage with seed age for plant species with intermediate complex MPD.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the local government of Castilla-La Mancha through two projects (‘Recovery plans of threatened species and protection of natural habitats’, Consejería de Medio Ambiente, and ‘Creation of a germoplasm bank of threatened wild flora in the Botanical Garden of Castilla-La Mancha’, Consejeria de Educación y Ciencia). During the study, Esmeralda Martínez held an award from the regional Government (Consejería de Educación y Ciencia, Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha) and the European Social Fund. Authors thank Kathryn Walsh for checking the English. Comments on the early version of the manuscript from two anonymous reviewers are greatly appreciated.

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  1. Unit of Ecology and Botany, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071, Albacete, Spain

    José M. Herranz, Pablo Ferrandis & Esmeralda Martínez-Duro

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  1. José M. Herranz
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Correspondence to Pablo Ferrandis.

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Herranz, J.M., Ferrandis, P. & Martínez-Duro, E. Seed germination ecology of the threatened endemic Iberian Delphinium fissum subsp. sordidum (Ranunculaceae). Plant Ecol 211, 89–106 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-010-9775-0

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