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Longevity of Juniperus procera seed lots under different storage conditions: implications for ex situ conservation in seed banks

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Abstract

Juniperus procera Endl. is economically important timber species, but its populations are extremely small and fragmented in its natural habitat, thus, calling for immediate ex situ conservation. Here we examined the effects of seed sources and storage temperature on the longevity of Juniperus procera seed lots through collection and preservation of seeds in seed banks. Seeds were collected from nine sites across the species natural distribution in Ethiopia and stored in four warehouses: modern cold room (5°C), mud house (15°C), concrete block house (17°C) or corrugated iron house (20°C) for 42 months. Every three months, a random sample of stored seeds were drawn and tested for germination. A highly significant variation (p < 0.01) in germination of stored seeds was observed among different storage environments, seed lots, and duration of storage. Over the storage period, seeds stored in the cold room had the highest mean percentage germination, followed by the mud house, corrugated house and blocket house. The cold room (41%) and the mud house (38%) maintained the same level of germination as the intitial germination of the seedlotds (42%). The variation in longevity of stored seeds was significnatly correlated with the initial germination of seed lots (r > 0.80; p < 0.01). Cold storage also resulted in enhancement of germination through its stratification effect that terminated the non-deep physiological dormancy of juniper seeds. In conclusion, seed lots with good initial germination can be effectively stored in cold room (5°C) up to four years. In the absence of modern cold stores, mud houses can be used as a good alternative to store seeds at local level.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ethiopia Agricultural Research Organization, Forestry Research Centre, P.O.Box 30708, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Negash Mamo, Diriba Nigusie & Miftah Fekadu

  2. Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Tropical Silviculture and Seed Laboratory, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 101, SE-230 53, Alnarp, Sweden

    Mulualem Tigabu

  3. Okavango Research Institute, University of Botswana, Private Bag 285, Maun, Botswana

    Demel Teketay

Authors
  1. Negash Mamo
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  2. Diriba Nigusie
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  3. Mulualem Tigabu
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  4. Demel Teketay
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  5. Miftah Fekadu
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Correspondence to Mulualem Tigabu.

Additional information

Foundation project: The study was financially supported by the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research Organization.

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Mamo, N., Nigusie, D., Tigabu, M. et al. Longevity of Juniperus procera seed lots under different storage conditions: implications for ex situ conservation in seed banks. Journal of Forestry Research 22, 453–459 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-011-0187-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-011-0187-3

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