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Desiccation sensitivity of recalcitrant seeds—a study on tropical fruit species

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2008

M. N. Normah ,
Saraswathy D. Ramiya  and
Mainah Gintangga
M. N. Normah*
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, Faculty of Life Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
Saraswathy D. Ramiya
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, Faculty of Life Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
Mainah Gintangga
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, Faculty of Life Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
*
*Correspondence
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Abstract

Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.), rambai (Baccaurea motleyana Muell.- Arg.) and jelentik (Baccaurea polyneura Hook. f.) are tropical fruit species believed to have recalcitrant seeds. The seeds showed no dormancy; they germinated easily. At harvest, the mean moisture contents (fresh weight basis) were 53.54, 51.20 and 44.90% for G. mangostana, B. motleyana and B. polyneura, respectively. G. mangostana seeds lost viability when their moisture content fell to about 24% while B. motleyana seeds lost viability below 35.5% moisture content. However, for B. polyneura, the seeds could be dried to low moisture content with high survival. The viability was still high when the moisture content was reduced to 13.46%. At this moisture content, the percentage germination was 91.76% and it was found that the seeds survived cyopreservation with 8.3% viability. For B. motleyana axes, the loss of viability occurred when their moisture content fell to about 36% (15% viability with predominantly callus formation) while for B. polyneura axes, viability was reduced to 33-67% when the moisture was 27–30%. At various moisture contents, the seeds of the fruit species studied were exposed for 48 h to 7°C and −4°C. G. mangostana seeds did not survive either temperature. Baccaurea seeds survived 7°C but failed to survive −4°C. No axes from B. motleyana seeds at various moisture contents survived cryopreservation. However, some viability (20–30%) was observed in B. polyneura axes cryopreserved at a moisture content of about 27%. At this moisture content no normal growth was obtained; callus formation was observed. It appears that the seeds vary in the degree of desiccation sensitivity. They also vary in size. Seeds of G. mangostana are larger than Baccaurea seeds and thus, more sensitive to desiccation. Seed and embryonic axis structure may also play a role in desiccation sensitivity.

Keywords

desiccation sensitivityrecalcitrant seedstropical fruits
Type
Recalcitrant seeds
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 7 , Issue 2 , June 1997 , pp. 179 - 184
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1997

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