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Incubation under fluctuating temperatures reduces mean base water potential for seed germination in several non-cultivated species

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2007

Roberto Huarte  and
Roberto L. Benech-Arnold
Roberto Huarte*
Affiliation:
Cátedra de Fisiología Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Lomas de Zamora, Ruta 4 Kilometro Z. Llaudllol. CP (1836), República Argentina
Roberto L. Benech-Arnold
Affiliation:
IFEVA, Cátedra de Cerealicultura, Facultad de Agronomía, CONICET/Universidad de Buenos Aíres, Avenida San Martín 4453, CP (1417), Ciudad de Buenos Aíres, República Argentina
*
*Correspondence: Fax: +54 11 4282 0233 Email: rhuarte@yahoo.com
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Abstract

Seeds of Carduus acanthoides, Cynara cardunculus, Cirsium vulgare, Brassica campestris, and Sisymbrium altissimum were incubated at a range of decreasing osmotic potentials (Ψo) under fluctuating temperatures or the median temperature of the fluctuation cycle. Fluctuating temperatures promoted total seed germination in water and at reduced osmotic potential. Total germination was reduced as the Ψo decreased. However, this trend was smallest under fluctuating temperatures, signalling a higher tolerance of seeds to reduced osmotic potential. Effects of osmoticum and temperature were modelled with the hydrotime model. The parameters estimated from the model, the hydrotime constant (θH), the mean base water potential Ψb(50) and its standard deviation (σΨb) gave good descriptions of germination time courses. For all species, incubation under fluctuating temperatures shifted Ψb(50) values downwards without modifying their distribution substantially. This accounted for the greater tolerance of germination to reduced Ψo under fluctuating temperatures. To confirm that these effects were mediated by temperature fluctuations per se, the behaviour of C. acanthoides and C. cardunculus incubated at the minimum, the mean and the maximum temperature of the fluctuation cycle was also analysed. Constant maximum and minimum temperatures of the cycle did not stimulate germination, nor did they shift Ψb(50) towards more negative values. The hydrotime model provides a physiologically based quantitative description for germination promotion due to fluctuating temperature.

Keywords

hydrotime modelfluctuating temperaturesCarduus acanthoidesCynara cardunculusCirsium vulgareBrassica campestrisSisymbrium altissimum
Type
Research Article
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 15 , Issue 2 , June 2005 , pp. 89 - 97
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2005

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