Delayed effect of thermal treatment on breaking physical seed dormancy: intrapopulation variation and implications for soil seed banks
Miguel A. Copete Carreño A B * , Elena Copete Carreño A B , Pablo Ferrandis Gotor A B and Jose M. Herranz Sanz A BA
B
Abstract
Many studies have focused on the dormancy-breaking response to heat treatment of freshly matured seeds and immediately after thermal shock.
We evaluated whether the full effect of dry heat scarification in freshly matured seeds could be delayed over time and the possible influence of previous storage in the soil.
Adenocarpus argyrophyllus was the model species selected to explore our hypotheses by analysing the: (a) influence of scarification treatments; (b) seedling emergence during 5 years after dry heat scarification of freshly matured seeds, and evaluating intrapopulation variation; (c) seedling emergence after dry heat scarification of seeds rescued from soil; and (d) ability to form persistent soil seed banks.
Dry heat scarification of freshly matured seeds only resulted in 22.5% germination. However, exposure to pre-sowing thermal shock stimulated seedling emergence during the first few years post-planting, with high intrapopulation variation. In seeds recovered from soil, thermal shock before reseeding increased the seedling emergence rate.
Our results show that, to avoid incomplete interpretation, studies of thermal treatment on the breaking of physical seed dormancy should allow the seeds sufficient time to exhibit the complete effects of high temperature treatment, thereby preventing underestimation.
Keywords: Adenocarpus, fire-prone ecosystems, germination, hard-seededness, heat scarification, Leguminosae, Mediterranean climate, post-fire regeneration, seedling emergence, soil seed bank.
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