Seed bank persistence and germination of chinee apple (Ziziphus mauritiana Lam.)
Faiz F. Bebawi A C , Shane D. Campbell A and Robert J. Mayer B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Biosecurity Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Tropical Weeds Research Centre, PO Box 187, Charters Towers, Qld 4820, Australia.
B Agri-Science Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Maroochy Research Station, Mayers Road, Nambour, Qld 4560, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: Faiz.Bebawi@daf.qld.gov.au
The Rangeland Journal 38(1) 17-25 https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ15104
Submitted: 29 September 2015 Accepted: 15 January 2016 Published: 17 February 2016
Abstract
Chinee apple (Ziziphus mauritiana Lam.) is a thorny tree that is invading tropical woodlands of northern Australia. The present study reports three experiments related to the seed dynamics of chinee apple. Experiment 1 and 2 investigated persistence of seed lots under different soil types (clay and river loam), levels of pasture cover (present or absent) and burial depths (0, 2.5, 10 and 20 cm). Experiment 3 determined the germination response of chinee apple seeds to a range of alternating day/night temperatures (11/6°C up to 52/40°C). In the longevity experiments (Expts 1 and 2), burial depth, soil type and burial duration significantly affected viability. Burial depth had the greatest influence, with surface located seeds generally persisting for longer than those buried below ground. Even so, no viable seeds remained after 18 and 24 months in the first and second experiment, respectively. In Expt 3 seeds of chinee apple germinated under a wide range of alternating day/night temperatures ranging from 16/12°C to 47 /36°C. Optimal germination (77%) occurred at 33/27°C and no seeds germinated at either of the lowest (11/6°C) or highest (52/40°C) temperature regimes tested. These findings indicated that chinee apple has the potential to expand its current distribution to cooler areas of Australia. Control practices need to be undertaken for at least two years to exhaust the seed bank.
Additional keywords: burial depth, germination requirements, Indian jujube, seed longevity.
References
Anon. (2014a). Fact Sheet – Chinee apple Ziziphus mauritiana, Weeds of Australia, Biosecurity Queensland Edition. (Queensland Government: Brisbane, Qld.)Anon. (2014b). Chinese apple – Ziziphus mauritiana (Heartbeat of the Nation – Myanmar Times). Available at: www.oilseedcrops.org (accessed 25 February 2014).
Anon. (2014c). Jujube Ziziphus jujube Mill. – Jujube Fruit Facts. Available at: www.crfg.org (accessed 20 March 2015).
Arroyo, M. T. K., Chacon, P., and Cavieres, L. A. (2006). Relationship between seed bank expression, adult longevity and aridity in species of Chaetanthera (Asteraceae) in Central Chile. Annals of Botany 98, 591–600.
| Relationship between seed bank expression, adult longevity and aridity in species of Chaetanthera (Asteraceae) in Central Chile.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BD28vnsleitg%3D%3D&md5=3148236b727558ceabfb82b9c530fa3aCAS |
Azam-Ali, S., Bonkoungou, E., Bowe, C., deKock, C., Godara, A., and Williams, J. T. (2006). Ber and other jujubes, Ziziphus species. In: ‘Fruits for the Future’. Revised edn. (International Centre for Underutilised Crops: Southampton, UK.)
Bakker, J. P., Poschlod, P., Strykstra, R. J., Bekker, R. M., and Thompson, K. (1996). Seed banks and seed dispersal: important topics in restoration ecology. Acta Botanica Neerlandica 45, 461–490.
| Seed banks and seed dispersal: important topics in restoration ecology.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bebawi, F. F., Campbell, S. D., and Lindsay, A. M. (2003). Effects of burial and age on viability of rubber vine (Cryptostegia grandiflora) seeds. Plant Protection Quarterly 18, 147–151.
Bebawi, F. F., Campbell, S. D., and Mayer, R. J. (2012). Persistence of bellyache bush (Jatropha gossypifolia L.) soil seed banks. The Rangeland Journal 34, 429–438.
| Persistence of bellyache bush (Jatropha gossypifolia L.) soil seed banks.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bebawi, F. F., Campbell, S. D., and Mayer, R. J. (2015). Seed bank longevity and age to reproductive maturity of Calotropis procera (Aiton) W.T. Aiton in the dry tropics of northern Queensland. The Rangeland Journal 37, 239–247.
| Seed bank longevity and age to reproductive maturity of Calotropis procera (Aiton) W.T. Aiton in the dry tropics of northern Queensland.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
BOM (2012). Mean annual rainfall and maximum daily temperature ranges. Available at: www.bom.gov.au (accessed 22 October 2012).
CABI (2014). Ziziphus mauritiana – Datasheet for CABI Invasive Species Compendium. Available at: www.cabi.org (accessed 14 March 2014).
Campbell, S. D., and Grice, A. C. (2000). Weed biology: a foundation for weed management. Tropical Grasslands 34, 271–279.
Chesson, P. (2000). Mechanisms of maintenance of species diversity. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 31, 343–366.
| Mechanisms of maintenance of species diversity.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dodd, A. J., Ainsworth, N., Burgman, M. A., and McCarthy, M. A. (2015). Plant extirpation at the site scale: implications for eradication programmes. Diversity & Distributions 21, 151–162.
| Plant extirpation at the site scale: implications for eradication programmes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Facelli, J. M., Chesson, P., and Barnes, N. (2005). Differences in seed biology of annual plants in arid lands: A key ingredient of the storage effect. Ecology 86, 2998–3006.
| Differences in seed biology of annual plants in arid lands: A key ingredient of the storage effect.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Fenner, M. (1985). ‘Seed Ecology.’ (Chapman and Hall: London, UK.)
Gardiner, C. P., and Gardiner, S. P. (1996). The dissemination of chinee apple (Ziziphus mauritiana): a woody weed of the tropical subhumid savanna and urban fringe of north Queensland. Tropical Grasslands 30, 174.
Grice, A. C. (1996). Seed production, dispersal and germination in Cryptostegia grandiflora and Ziziphus mauritiana, two invasive shrubs in tropical woodlands of northern Australia. Australian Journal of Ecology 21, 324–331.
| Seed production, dispersal and germination in Cryptostegia grandiflora and Ziziphus mauritiana, two invasive shrubs in tropical woodlands of northern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Grice, A. C. (1997). Post-fire regrowth and survival of the invasive tropical shrubs Cryptostegia grandiflora and Ziziphus mauritiana. Australian Journal of Ecology 22, 49–55.
| Post-fire regrowth and survival of the invasive tropical shrubs Cryptostegia grandiflora and Ziziphus mauritiana.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Grice, A. C. (1998). Ecology in the management of invasive rangeland shrubs: a case study of Indian jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana). Weed Science 46, 467–474.
| 1:CAS:528:DyaK1cXlvFGhsb0%3D&md5=ceca6fed319072261f7c889a6f8bdb22CAS |
Grice, A. C. (2002). The biology of Australian weeds. 39. Ziziphus mauritiana Lam. Plant Protection Quarterly 17, 2–16.
Grice, A. C. (2006). The impacts of invasive plant species on the biodiversity of Australian rangelands. The Rangeland Journal 28, 27–35.
| The impacts of invasive plant species on the biodiversity of Australian rangelands.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Grice, A. C. (2009). Ziziphus mauritiana Lam. In: ‘The Biology of Australian Weeds, Vol. 3’. (Ed. F. D. Panetta.) pp. 295–310. (R.G. and F.J. Richardson: Melbourne, Vic.)
Grice, A. C., and Brown, J. R. (1996). Fire and the population ecology of invasive shrubs in the tropical woodlands. In: ‘Frontiers of Population Ecology’. (Eds R. B. Floyd, A. W. Sheppard and P. J. De Barro.) pp. 589–597. (CSIRO: Canberra, ACT.)
Grice, T. and Martin, T. (2005). ‘The Management of Weeds and their Impact on Biodiversity in the Rangelands.’ (The CRC for Australian Weed Management: Townsville, Qld.)
Grice, A. C., Walker, L., and Whiteman, L. (1999). An invasive rangeland shrub responds rapidly to top removal. In: ‘People and Rangelands: Building the Future. Proceedings of the VI International Rangeland Congress’. Townsville, Queensland, 19–23 July 1999, Vols 1 and 2. (Eds D. Eldridge and D. Freudenberger.) pp. 591–593. (International Rangeland Congress Inc.: Aitkenvale, Qld.)
Grice, A. C., Radford, I. J., and Abbott, B. N. (2000). Regional landscape-scale patterns of shrub invasion in tropical savannas. Rangeland Invasions 2, 187–205.
| Regional landscape-scale patterns of shrub invasion in tropical savannas.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Grice, A. C., Campbell, S., Breaden, R., Bebawi, F., and Vogler, W. (2008). ‘Habitat Management Guide – Rangelands: Ecological Principles for the Strategic Management of Weeds in Rangeland Habitats.’ (CRC for Australian Weed Management: Adelaide, S. Aust.)
Harper, J. L. (1977). ‘Population Biology of Plants.’ (Academic Press: London, UK.)
Hocking, D. (1993). ‘Trees for Drylands.’ (Oxford & IBH Publishing: New Delhi, India.)
Huwale, T. D. (1985). Pollen studies in Ziziphus mauritiana cultivars. Annals of Aridzone Journal 1, 47–50.
ISSG (2003). ‘Global Invasive Species Database.’ (Invasive Species Specialist Group, IUCN, University of Auckland: Auckland, New Zealand.)
Kalisez, S., Horth, L., and McPeek, M. A. (1997). Fragmentation and the role of seed banks in promoting persistence of Collinsia verna in isolated populations. In: ‘Conservation in Highly Fragmented Landscapes’. (Ed. M. Schwartz.) pp. 268–312. (Chapman and Hall: New York, USA.)
Land Protection (2006). ‘Ziziphus mauritiana, Indian Jujube, Chinee Apple.’ Facts Pest Series, p.26. (Department of Natural Resources and Water: Brisbane, Qld.)
Luna, R. K. (1996). ‘Plantation Trees.’ (International Book Distributors: Dehra Dun, India.)
Mackey, A. P. (1997). The biology of Australian weeds 29. Acacia nilotica ssp. indica (Benth.) Brenan. Plant Protection Quarterly 12, 7–17.
Maraghni, M., Gorai, M., and Neffati, M. (2010). Seed germination at different temperatures and water stress levels, and seedling emergence from different depths of Ziziphus lotus. South African Journal of Botany 76, 453–459.
| Seed germination at different temperatures and water stress levels, and seedling emergence from different depths of Ziziphus lotus.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3cXhtVSltbzF&md5=c257759a3dc49a5de67a5b46b3485a87CAS |
Mondoni, A., Orsenigo, S., Dona, M., Balestrazzi, A., Probert, R. J., Hay, F. R., Petraglia, A., and Abeli, T. (2014). Environmentally induced transgenerational changes in seed longevity: maternal and genetic influences. Annals of Botany 113, 1257–1263.
| 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2cXosFCns7c%3D&md5=cd7ab9679442be52c1130661889fbbd4CAS | 24681509PubMed |
Moore, R. P. (1985). ‘Handbook of Tetrazolium Testing.’ (International Seed Testing Association: Zurich.)
Morton, J. (1987). Indian jujube. In: ‘Fruits of Warm Climates’. pp. 272–275. (Center for New Crops and Plant Products: Purdue University, Miami, FL, USA.)
Navie, S. C., McFadyen, R. E., Panetta, F. D., and Adkins, S. W. (1996). The biology of Australian weeds 27. Parthenium hysterophorus L. Plant Protection Quarterly 11, 76–88.
Noble, J. C. (1975). The effects of emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae Latham) on the distribution of the nitre bush Nitraria billardieri DC. Journal of Ecology 63, 979–984.
| The effects of emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae Latham) on the distribution of the nitre bush Nitraria billardieri DC.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Noble, J. C. (1991). On ratites and their interactions with plants. Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 64, 85–118.
Orwa, C., Mutua, A., Kindt, R., Jamnadass, R., and Anthony, S. (2009). Agroforestree Database: a tree reference and selection guide. Version 4.0. Available at: www.worldagroforestry.org/sites/treedbs/treedatabases.asp (accessed 4 January 2016).
Ozinga, W. A., Hennekens, S. M., Schaminée, J. H. J., Smits, N. A. C., Bekker, R. M., Römermann, C., Klimeš, L., Bakker, J. P., and van Groenendael, J. M. (2007). Local above-ground persistence of vascular plants: life-history trade-offs and environmental constraints. Journal of Vegetation Science 18, 489–497.
| Local above-ground persistence of vascular plants: life-history trade-offs and environmental constraints.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pareek, O. P. (2001). ‘The Ber.’ (Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi.)
Parsons, W. T., and Cuthbertson, E. G. (2001). ‘Noxious Weeds of Australia.’ 2nd edn. (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne, Vic.)
Schirarend, C. W. (1991). ‘The systemic wood anatomy of Rhamnaceae JUSS (Rhamnales). Tribe zizipheae’. Humboldt University Iowa Bulletin 12, 359–388.
Short, P. S., Albrecht, D. E., Cowie, I. D., Lewis, D. L., and Stuckey, B. M. (2011). ‘Checklist of the Vascular Plants of the Northern Territory.’ (Northern Territory Herbarium, Department of Natural Resources, Environment, the Arts and Sport: Darwin, NT.)
Simpson, R. L., Leck, M. A., and Parker, V. T. (1989). Seed banks: general concepts and methodological issues. In: ‘Ecology of Soil Seed Banks’. (Eds M. A. Leck, V. T. Parker and R. L. Simpson.) pp. 3–21. (Academic Press: San Diego, CA, USA.)
Singh, S. P. (1989). ‘Wasteland Development.’ (Agricole Publishing Academy: New Delhi, India.)
Thompson, K., Bakker, J. P., and Bekker, R. M. (1997). ‘Soil Seed Banks of NW Europe: Methodology, Density and Longevity.’ (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK.)
Thorp, J. R., and Lynch, R. (2000). ‘The Determination of Weeds of National Significance.’ (National Weeds Strategy Executive Committee: Launceston, New Zealand.)
Van Mourik, T. A., Stomph, T. J., and Murdoch, A. J. (2005). Why high seed densities within buried mesh bags may overestimate depletion rates of soil seed banks. Journal of Applied Ecology 42, 299–305.
| Why high seed densities within buried mesh bags may overestimate depletion rates of soil seed banks.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Venable, D. L., and Brown, J. S. (1988). The selective interactions of dispersal, dormancy and seed size as adaptations for reducing risk in variable environments. American Naturalist 131, 360–384.
| The selective interactions of dispersal, dormancy and seed size as adaptations for reducing risk in variable environments.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Venable, D. L., and Lawlor, L. (1980). Delayed germination and dispersal in desert annuals: escape in space and time. Oecologia 46, 272–282.
| Delayed germination and dispersal in desert annuals: escape in space and time.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Weber, E. (2003). ‘Invasive Plant Species of the World. A Reference Guide to Environmental Weeds.’ (CABI Publishing: Wallingford, UK.)
World Agroforestry Centre (2002). Agroforestree database. ICRAF, Nairobi, Kenya.
