Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-29T09:16:32.407Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Microbial enhancement of seed germination in Rosa corymbifera ‘Laxa’

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2007

David R. Morpeth  and
Avice M. Hall
David R. Morpeth*
Affiliation:
Writtle College, Writtle, Chelmsford CM1 3RR, UK
Avice M. Hall
Affiliation:
Environmental Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane, Hatfield AL10 9AB, UK
*
*Correspondence Fax: +44 1245 420456 Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Germination of native tree and shrub species from seed can be unpredictable. Germination of Rosa corymbifera ‘Laxa’ was 2% under normal commercial conditions. This was obtained in the presence of the natural microflora found on the seeds. The microflora originated on the hips and the seeds become inoculated during extraction. Exclusion of microbes from such pretreatments resulted in no germination. Inoculation of surface sterilized seeds with members of the natural microflora resulted in 3% germination. The addition of GarottaTM, a commercial compost activator, to the commercial pretreatment increased germination to 95%. This high germination percentage was sustained over a 5 year period using seeds from the same stock bushes. Addition of the compost activator resulted in a 20-fold increase of microbial activity in the pretreatment mixture, indicating that enhanced microbial growth resulted in higher and more predictable germination percentages.

Keywords

commercial compost activatorRosa corymbiferamicrobial enhancement of germinationmicroflora
Type
Research Article
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 10 , Issue 4 , December 2000 , pp. 489 - 494
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2000

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Amen, R.D. (1968) A model of seed dormancy. The Botanical Review 34, 1–31.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baskin, C.C. and Baskin, J.M. (1998) Seeds: Ecology, biogeography, and evolution of dormancy and germination. London, Academic Press.Google Scholar
Bewley, J.D. and Black, M. (1994) Seeds: Physiology of development and germination. (2nd edition) New York, Plenum Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bradbeer, J.W. (1988) Seed dormancy and germination. Glasgow, Blackie.Google Scholar
Campbell, R.E. (1985) Plant microbiology. London, Edward Arnold, .Google Scholar
Dhingra, O.D. and Sinclair, J.B. (1995) Basic plant pathology methods. (2nd edition) London, CRC Press.Google Scholar
Gordon, A.G. and Rowe, D.C.F. (1982) Seed manual for ornamental trees and shrubs. London, HMSO.Google Scholar
Gosling, P.G. and Aldhous, J.R. (1994) Seed. pp. 66–83in Aldhous, J.R.; Mason, W.L. (Eds) Forest Nursery Practice. Bulletin 111. London, Forestry Commission, HMSO.Google Scholar
Harper, J.L. (1977) Population biology of plants. London, Academic Press.Google Scholar
Jackson, G.A.D. (1968) Hormonal control of fruit development, seed dormancy and germination with particular reference to Rosa. Society of Chemical Industry Monograph 31, 127–156.Google Scholar
Jackson, G.A.D. and Blundell, J.B. (1963) Germination in Rosa. Journal of Horticultural Science 38, 310–320.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lewak, S. and Rudnicki, R.M. (1977) After ripening in cold requiring seeds. pp. 193–217in Khan, A.A. (Ed.) The physiology and biochemistry of seed dormancy and germination. Amsterdam, Elsevier.Google Scholar
Mayer, A.M. and Poljakoff-Mayber, A. (1989) The germination of seeds. (4th edition) Oxford, Pergamon Press.Google Scholar
Morpeth, D.R. (1998) Enhancement of germination in native woody species with particular reference to Rosa corymbifera ‘Laxa’. PhD Thesis, University of Hertfordshire.Google Scholar
Morpeth, D.R., Hall, A.M. and Cullum, F.J. (1997) The involvement of microbes and enzymes in the pretreatment of woody seeds to overcome dormancy. pp. 261–267in Ellis, R.H.; Black, M.; Murdoch, A.J.; Hong, T.D. (Eds) Basic and applied aspects of seed biology. Dordrecht, the Netherlands, Kluwer Academic Publishers.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nikolaeva, M.G. (1977) Factors controlling the seed dormancy pattern. pp. 51–74in Khan, A.A. (Ed.) Physiology and biochemistry of seed dormancy and germination. Amsterdam, Elsevier.Google Scholar
Pfeiffer, N.E. (1934) Morphology of the seed of Symphoricarpos racemosus and the relation of fungal invasion of the coat to germinative capacity. Contributions from the Boyce Thompson Institute 6, 103–122.Google Scholar
Pinfield, N.J. and Davies, H.V. (1978) Hormonal changes during afterripening of Acer platanoides L. seeds. Zeitschrift fur Pflanzenphysiologie 90, 171–181.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Qrunfleh, M.M. (1991) Studies on the hawthorn (Crataegus azarollus L.): II. Changes in abscisic acid content during cold stratification in relation to seed germination. Journal of Horticultural Science 66, 223–226.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rolston, M.P. (1978) Water impermeable seed dormancy. The Botanical Review 44, 365–396.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schopmeyer, C.S. (1974) Introduction. pp. 1–2in Seeds of woody plants in the United States. Agricultural Handbook 450. Washington, DC, US Department of Agriculture.Google Scholar
Stace, C.A. (1991) New flora of the British Isles. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Tillberg, E. (1983) Levels of endogenous abscisic acid in achenes of Rosa rugosa during dormancy release and germination. Physiologia Plantarum 58, 243–248.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tincker, M.A.H. and Wisley, M.A. (1935) Rose seeds: Their after-ripening and germination. Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society 60, 399.Google Scholar
Trumble, H.C. (1937) Some factors affecting the germination and growth of herbage plants in South Australia. Journal of the Department of Agricultural Science, South Australia 40, 779–786.Google Scholar
Webb, D.P. and Wareing, P.F. (1972) Seed dormancy in Acer pseudoplatanus L.: the role of the covering structures. Journal of Experimental Botany 23, 813–829.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yambe, Y., Hori, Y. and Takeno, K. (1992) Levels of endogenous abscisic acid in rose achenes and leaching with activated charcoal to improve seed germination. Journal of the Japanese Society for Horticultural Science 61, 383–387.CrossRefGoogle Scholar