Free Standard AU & NZ Shipping For All Book Orders Over $80!
Register      Login
The Rangeland Journal The Rangeland Journal Society
Journal of the Australian Rangeland Society
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > RJ > RJ07004
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 29(2)

Effect of seed treatment on the emergence of Cassia brewsteri and Lysiphyllum carronii seeds stored in soil

S. M. Reichman A B D , S. M. Bellairs A C and D. R. Mulligan A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia.

B Present address: Division of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Lincoln University, PO Box 84, Lincoln 7647, New Zealand.

C Present address: School of Science and Primary Industries, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT 0815, Australia.

D Corresponding author. Email: s.reichman@lincoln.ac.nz

The Rangeland Journal 29(2) 133-137 https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ07004
Submitted: 22 January 2007  Accepted: 4 May 2007   Published: 24 October 2007

Abstract

Dormancy-breaking treatments are applied to seeds of many Australian species used for mine-site restoration in arid and semi-arid regions of Australia. Once seeds are sown, several months may pass before a rain event sufficient for germination. Therefore, it is important that treated seeds are able to survive in soil until conditions are hospitable for germination and growth. However, little is known about the effects of seed dormancy-breaking treatments on the longevity of seeds in soil. Two species that are potential candidates for use in mine site restoration programs in Queensland were trialed viz., Cassia brewsteri (F.Muell.) Benth and Lysiphyllum carronii (F.Muell.) Pedley. Untreated, boiled and acid treated seeds of the two species were sown in soil in a glasshouse. Seeds were watered immediately or kept dry for one or three months before watering and emergence was assessed. When applied to seeds incubated on filter paper in a germination cabinet, boiling and acid treatments were effective methods of breaking dormancy and increasing germination for both C. brewsteri and L. carronii seeds. However, in soil, seedling emergence from boiled seeds was the same or less than that of untreated seeds. Storage time in soil before watering had little effect on seedling emergence in the glasshouse, suggesting that most decreases in emergence compared with laboratory germination occurred after the input of water to the system. Treatments that promote germination in the laboratory can reduce seedling emergence in soil. Thus, treated seeds should be tested for survival in soil before use in mine-site restoration programs.

Additional keywords: dormancy, germination, legume, mine rehabilitation, seed bed.


Acknowledgement

Thanks to David Bell for comments on an earlier draft of this manuscript.


References


Adkins S. W. , and Bellairs S. M. (2000). Seed dormancy mechanisms: Australian native species. In: ‘Proceedings of the Third Australian Workshop on Native Seed Biology for Revegetation’. Perth, Western Australia’. (Eds C. J. Asher and L. C. Bell.) pp. 97–109. (Australian Centre for Minesite Rehabilitation Research: Pinjarra Hills, Qld.)

Auld T. D. (1995) Soil seedbank patterns of four trees and shrubs from arid Australia. Journal of Arid Environments 29, 33–45.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Auld T. D., Keith D. A., Bradstock R. A. (2000) Patterns of longevity of soil seedbanks in fire-prone communities of south-eastern Australia. Australian Journal of Botany 48, 539–548.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Ayanlaja S. A., Owa S. O., Adigun M. O., Senjobi B. A., Olaleye A. O. (2001) Leachate from earthworm castings breaks seed dormancy and preferentially promotes radicle growth in jute. HortScience 36, 143–144. open url image1

Bell D. T. (1999) Turner Review No. 1 – The process of germination in Australian species. Australian Journal of Botany 47, 475–517.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Bell D. T., Vlahos S., Bellairs S. M. (1990) Seed ecology in relation to reclamation: lessons from mined lands in Western Australia. Proceedings of the Ecological Society of Australia 16, 531–535. open url image1

Bell L. C. (1984). Mining rehabilitation. In: ‘The Brigalow Belt of Australia’. (Ed. A. Bailey.) pp. 111–117. (Queensland Department of Primary Industries: Brisbane.)

Cavanagh T. (1987). Germination of hard-seeded species (Order Fabales). In: ‘Germination of Australian Native Plant Seed’. (Ed. P. J. Langkamp.) pp. 58–70. (Inkata Press: Melbourne.)

Gillespie M. J. (2003). Establishment of success of native understorey species on coal mine rehabilitation areas in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales. Masters thesis, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld.

Golovina E. A., Wolkers W. F., Hoekstra F. A. (1997) Long-term stability of protein secondary structure in dry seeds. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Physiology 117, 343–348.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Grant C. D., Bell D. T., Koch J. M., Loneragan W. A. (1996) Implications of seedling emergence to site restoration following bauxite mining in Western Australia. Restoration Ecology 4, 146–154.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Koch J. M., Ward S. C., Grant C. D., Ainsworth G. L. (1996) Effects of bauxite mine restoration operations on topsoil seed reserves in the jarrah forest of Western Australia. Restoration Ecology 4, 368–376.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Lamont B. B., Milberg P. (1997) Removal of the testa during germination or establishment increases germinant mortality, decay and water loss. Seed Science Research 7, 245–252. open url image1

Paddon B. (2000). Investigation into the effects of soil storage on native seed germination. In: ‘Minerals Council of Australia Environmental Workshop’. Perth, Western Australia. pp. 458–478. (Minerals Council of Australia: Canberra, ACT.)

Pickup M., McDougall K. L., Whelan R. J. (2003) Fire and flood: soil-stored seed bank and germination ecology in the endangered Carrington Falls Grevillea (Grevillea rivularis, Proteaceae). Austral Ecology 28, 128–136.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Read T. R. , Bellairs S. M. , Mulligan D. R. , Lamb D. , and Kaliher L. (2005). Wood chip mulch: enhancing initial vegetation establishment on mined land. In: ‘Proceedings of the Fifth Australian Workshop on Native Seed Biology for Revegetation’. Brisbane, Qld. (Eds S. W. Adkins, P. J. Ainsley, S. M. Bellairs, D. J. Coates and L. C. Bell.) pp. 235–250. (Australian Centre for Mining Environmental Research: Pinjarra Hills, Qld.)

Rokich D. P., Dixon K. W., Sivasithamparam K., Meney K. A. (2000) Topsoil handling and storage effects on woodland restoration in Western Australia. Restoration Ecology 8, 196–208.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Seetharaman K., Whitehead E., Keller N. P., Waniska R. D., Rooney L. W. (1997) In vitro activity of sorghum seed antifungal proteins against grain mold pathogens. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 45, 3666–3671.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Sheridan G. J., So H. B., Loch R. J., Walker C. M. (2000) Estimation of erosion model erodibility parameters from media properties. Australian Journal of Soil Research 38, 265–284.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1