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Desiccation tolerance in two species with recalcitrant seeds: Clausena lansium (Lour.) and Litchi chinensis (Sonn.)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2008

J. R. Fu ,
J. P. Jin ,
Y. F. Peng  and
Q. H. Xia
J. R. Fu*
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, Zhongzhan University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China
J. P. Jin
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, Zhongzhan University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China
Y. F. Peng
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, Zhongzhan University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China
Q. H. Xia
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, Zhongzhan University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China
*
* Correspondence
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Abstract

Seeds were collected at weekly intervals from mid-maturation to the fully ripened stage. As seed development progressed, desiccation tolerance increased. Desiccation tolerance of C. lansium seeds was greatest at 67 days after anthesis (DAA), when they tolerated air drying for 9 days; 74 DAA was considered as physiological maturity, and their full viability was only maintained for up to 3 days of drying; overripened seeds (88 DAA) had the lowest desiccation tolerance. In L. chinensis, the desiccation sensitivity of seeds at 98 DAA (fully mature) was higher than that at 84 and 91 DAA (less mature); among the excised embryonic axes at different developmental stages, the less mature ones were less sensitive to desiccation than the fully mature ones; excised embryonic axes of the same stage were more tolerant of desiccation than whole seeds.

Keywords

Clausena lansiumdesiccation toleranceLitchi chinensisrecalcitrant seedsseed development
Type
Short Communication
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 4 , Issue 2 , June 1994 , pp. 257 - 261
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1994

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Footnotes

†

Present address Seed Station of Guangdong Province, 135 East Xian-Lie Road, Guangzhou 510500, People's Republic of China.

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