The importance of regeneration to plant habitat specialization has been poorly studied. ten Brink et al. examine the adaptive association between germination ecology and specialization to either forest or open habitats...
Tag - dormancy
botanyone
Germination and seed bank dynamics of dimorphic seeds
Heteromorphic seeds can show differences in dormancy and germination, but it is not known how this affects maintenance and regeneration of populations. Cao et al. bury different seed morphs of an annual halophyte...
Constitutive α-amylase activity in dry grass seeds
α -Amylase in grass caryopses (seeds) is usually expressed upon commencement of germination and is rarely seen in dry, mature seeds. However, Goggin and Powles show that selection for low dormancy in Lolium rigidum...
Post-harvest transcriptional changes in onion
During the transition from endo- to eco-dormancy and subsequent growth, the bulb of onion (Allium cepa) changes from a sink organ to a source, but the mechanisms controlling these processes are not fully understood...
Physiological mechanisms of germination responses
Germination timing, a major determinant of fitness, is extremely sensitive to environmental conditions but the physiological mechanisms regulating it are largely unknown. Barua et al. study Arabidopsis thaliana and find...
Germination, temperature and water potential in Jatropha
Jatropha curcas is a drought-resistant tree whose seeds are a good source of oil that can be used for producing biodiesel. Windauer et al. examine germination at different temperatures and water potentials and find that...
Stamen development and dormancy in apricot
Temperate woody perennials become dormant over winter; but dormancy is also a prerequisite for adequate flowering, thus limiting their cultivation at warmer latitudes. Julian et al. show that dormancy appears to mark a...
Seed persistence and germination traits
Seed persistence in the soil under field conditions is issue for the maintenance of local plant populations and the restoration of plant communities. Saatkamp et al. compare seed survival in a burial experiment with...
