
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Merritt, D. J. 
A1  - Touchell, D. H. 
A1  - Senaratna, T. 
A1  - Dixon, K. W. 
A1  - Sivasithamparam, K. 
T1  - Water sorption characteristics of seeds of four Western Australian species
JF  - Australian Journal of Botany
JO  - Aust. J. Bot.
Y1  - 2003
VL  - 51
IS  - 1
SP  - 85
EP  - 92
KW  - 
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1071/BT02040 
N2  - The relationship between storage temperature, relative humidity and seed water content was investigated for four species native to Western Australia:  Acacia bivenosa DC., Anigozanthos manglesii D.Don., Banksia ashbyi E.G.Baker and Mesomelaena tetragona (R.Br.) Benth. Water sorption isotherms were constructed at 5, 23 and 50°C and the enthalpy of water sorption was calculated by van¿t Hoff analysis. Seeds of three species, A. manglesii, B. ashbyi and M. tetragona, showed a sigmoidal relationship between seed water content and relative humidity. Intact seeds of Acacia bivenosa maintained a constant water content at temperatures of 23°C or less due to the impermeable seed coat; however, isotherms of scarified seeds were similar in shape to those of the other species at all temperatures. The enthalpy of water sorption ranged from &#8211;19 kJ mol&#8211;1 for M. tetragona seeds to &#8211;29 kJ mol&#8211;1 for B. ashbyi seeds and was dependent on water content. However, all species had a maximum sorption strength at 2&#8211;6% water content and three regions of water-binding strength were evident. Each of these species has water sorption characteristics consistent with orthodox storage behaviour and the results of this study provide a framework for improving seed storage methods for the highly diverse Western Australian flora. 
ER  -

