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The effects of the parent environment on seed germinability

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2008

M. Fenner
M. Fenner
Affiliation:
Biology Department, Southampton University, Southampton SO9 5NH, UK
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Abstract

The growing conditions of a parent plant may affect the degree of dormancy of its seeds. This has been demonstrated in numerous species, both wild and cultivated. The evidence comes from field observations and controlled experiments. A survey of the literature shows that some well defined patterns emerge, with certain environmental factors tending to have similar effects over a wide range of species. Lower dormancy (i.e., increased germinability) is generally associated with the following environmental conditions during seed development: high temperatures, short days, red light, drought and high nitrogen levels. The effects are probably the result of changes in the quantity, mobility or activity of growth substances such as abscisic acid. The ecological implications of the phenomenon are briefly discussed.

Keywords

dormancygerminationparental environmentseed
Type
Review Article
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 1 , Issue 2 , June 1991 , pp. 75 - 84
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

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