Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-995ml Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-28T11:12:42.080Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Using size-class structure to monitor growth of underdeveloped embryos in seeds of three Aristolochia species: implications for seed ecology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2011

Christopher A. Adams
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40506-0225, USA
Jerry M. Baskin
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40506-0225, USA
Carol C. Baskin*
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40506-0225, USA Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY40546, USA
*
*Correspondence Fax: +1-859-257-1717 Email: ccbask0@uky.edu

Abstract

Size-class structure was used to monitor the growth of underdeveloped embryos in two seed cohorts of Aristolochia macrophylla, A. tomentosa and A. californica and the results are related briefly to differences in seed dormancy among and within the three species. The size-class method of presenting embryo growth data allows more insight to be gained into the embryo-level cause(s) of seed dormancy than does the cumulative growth curve. This appears to be the first report on use of size-class structure to monitor growth of underdeveloped embryos.

Type
Short Communication
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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

Adams, C.A. (2003) A comparative survey of seed morphology, dormancy, and germination of four closely-related Aristolochia subgenus Siphisia species (Aristolochiaceae, Piperales): a test of two hypotheses on ecological changes in species within a lineage through geological time. PhD thesis, University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA.Google Scholar
Adams, C.A., Baskin, J.M. and Baskin, C.C. (2005) Trait stasis versus adaptation in disjunct relict species: evolutionary changes in seed dormancy-breaking and germination requirements in a subclade of Aristolochia subgenus Siphisia (Piperales). Seed Science Research 15, 161173.Google Scholar
Baskin, C.C. and Baskin, J.M. (1998) Seeds: Ecology, biogeography, and evolution of dormancy and germination. San Diego, USA, Academic Press.Google Scholar
Baskin, C.C., Baskin, J.M. and Chester, E.W. (2003) Ecological life cycle of Trepocarpus aethusae (Nutt.) ex DC. and comparisons with two other winter annual Apiaceae native to eastern United Sates. Castanea 68, 4355.Google Scholar
Baskin, J.M. and Baskin, C.C. (2004) A classification system for seed dormancy. Seed Science Research 14, 116.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Finneseth, C.H., Layne, D.R. and Geneve, R.L. (1998) Morphological development of the North American pawpaw during germination and seedling emergence. HortScience 33, 802805.Google Scholar
Forbis, T.A. and Diggle, P.K. (2001) Subnivian embryo development in the alpine herb Caltha leptosepala (Ranunculaceae). Canadian Journal of Botany 79, 635642.Google Scholar
Kondo, T., Okuba, N., Miura, T., Honda, K. and Ishikawa, Y. (2002) Ecophysiology of seed germination in Erythronium japonicum (Liliaceae) with underdeveloped embryos. American Journal of Botany 89, 17791784.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kondo, T., Miura, T., Okubo, N., Shimada, M., Baskin, C. and Baskin, J. (2004) Ecophysiology of deep simple epicotyl morphophysiological dormancy in seeds of Gagea lutea (Liliaceae). Seed Science Research 14, 371378.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kondo, T., Sato, C., Baskin, J.M. and Baskin, C.C. (2006) Post-dispersal embryo development, germination phenology, and seed dormancy in Cardiocrinum cordatum var., glehnii (Liliaceae s. str.), a perennial herb of the broadleaved deciduous forest in Japan. American Journal of Botany 93, 849859.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Passioura, J.B. (1979) Accountability, philosophy and plant physiology. Search 10, 347350.Google Scholar
Phartyal, S.S., Kondo, T., Baskin, J.M. and Baskin, C.C. (2009) Temperature requirements differ for the two stages of seed dormancy break in Aegopodium podograria (Apiaceae), a species with deep complex morphophysiological dormancy. American Journal of Botany 96, 10861095.Google Scholar
Thompson, K., Ceriani, R.M., Bakker, J.P. and Bekker, R.M. (2003) Are seed dormancy and persistence in soil related? Seed Science Research 13, 96100.Google Scholar
Thornley, J.H.M. (1980) Research strategy in plant science. Plant, Cell and Environment 3, 233236.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walck, J.L., Hidayati, S.N. and Okagami, N. (2002) Seed germination ecophysiology of the Asian species Osmorhiza aristata (Apiaceae): comparison with its North American congeners and implications for evolution of types of dormancy. American Journal of Botany 89, 829835.CrossRefGoogle Scholar