The Change of Dormancy of Seeds Stored in Desiccators and/or Harvested Fruits in Cruciferous Crops
Year: 1981
Type: article
Abstract: The present study was undertaken to reveal the change of dormancy when seeds are desiccated and/or preserved in fruits in cruciferous crops. Materials used were rape, leaf mustard, potherb mustard, and cultivated and wild types of Japanese grand radish. After the harvest of mature fruits, they were divided into two groups. In one group seeds were isolated separately from fruits, and in the other group seeds were left intact in fruits. Then, seeds in each group were placed either at ordinary humidities in the room or at low humidities in the desiccator (containing silica gel). After that, seed germination tests were conducted at 10 day intervals during 6 to 22 months according to different species.As the result, in all species except wild radish, isolated seeds in the room (regarded as a control) reached 100% germination in one to 4 months after harvest. However, wild radish did not attain the complete removal of dormancy, remain ing at certain percentages around 80% or so.In rape, when seeds were stored in the desiccator, the removal of dormancy was accelerated. In leaf mustard, potherb mustard and wild radish, however, the removal of seed dormancy was suppressed by desiccation. In cultivated radish, desiccation had no effect on seed dormancy.In rape and leaf mustard, the removal of dormancy was delayed in seeds preserved in fruits as compared with isolated seeds. In potherb mustard, and culti vated and wild radishes, there was recognized no difference in the response of removal of dormancy between seeds isolated from fruits and those preserved in fruits.When fruits of rape were stored in the desiccator, the accelerative effect of desiccation on the removal of seed dormancy was weakened by the suppressive effect of fruits. In the case of leaf mustard, seeds with fruits in the desiccator showed a strong supression of removal of dormancy due to the multiplication of suppressive effects of both desiccation and fruits. Potherb mustard and wild radish both of which had no difference in dormancy between seeds with fruits and those without fruits in the room also had no difference between them in the desiccator. That is, seeds were equally affected by desiccation even if they were with or without fruits. These findings suggest that desiccation and fruits work on the removal of dormancy independently of each other. If so, the existence of two different kinds of germination -inhibiting substances can be assumed: one which is affected by humidity and the other which is maintained by preservation in fruits.
DOI: 10.2503/jjshs.50.208
Institution: Ehime University
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W2320575382