Dormancy and Germination of Seed of Eight Populations of Themeda australis

Abstract

Seed of eight populations of Themeda australis (R.Br.) Stapf from sites nith the widest range of climates in Australia and Papua New Guinea (P.N.G.) was tested for its dormancy status and germination responses to different temperature and moisture regimes. The populations were from Lae. P.N.G.. Katherine. N.T.. Mundubbera. Qld. Alice Springs. N.T.. Tantangara. N.S.W.. Adelaide Hills. S.A.. Bunbury, W.A. and Hobart. Tas.

Dormancy of fresh seed was negligible in Lae and Mundubbera populations. considerable in the Alice Springs population and intermediate in populations from Katherine and all temperate sites. Addition of gibberellic acid hastened the release from dormancy of seed from Katherine and Bunbury. Exposure of plants to three different temperature regimes during seed formation had an effect on dormancy of the Katherine population. Stratification at 4°C and high alternating daily temperatures (45 20°C) hastened the loss of dormancy of fresh seeds of some populations.

Germination of non-dormant seed of the different populations was relatively unaffected b) temperatures between 20 and 40°C. Germination of the Alice Springs population was the most sensitive to increasing water stress and that from Lae the least sensitive. Radicle elongation of seedlings from Alice Springs was significantly greater than that of most other populations at a water potential of - I .0 MPa.

The differences reported for seed dormancy and germination characteristics of T. australis populations do not reflect a strong physiological adaptation to the climatic characteristics of the sites from which they were collected.