Dormancy and germination characteristics of Nirtaria sibirica seeds / 中草药

ABSTRACT

Objective: To break the seed dormancy and improve the germination rate of the Nirtaria sibirica seeds. Methods: N. sibirica seeds were treated with soaking in warm water, storing with moisture sand, and immersing seed in H2SO4 (98%) and gibberellic acid (GA), then the germination rate, germination vigor, and germination peak period of the seeds were determined. Results: The germination rate and germination vigor were 30% and 10% under soaking in warm water. The seeds began to germinate on the day 7 and reached the germination peak on the day 10.The germination rate and germination vigor were 55.5% and 26.5% under storing with moisture sand for 37 d. The seeds began to germinate on the day 2 and reached the germination peak on the day 10.The germination rate and germination vigor were 86.8% and 60.3% under storing with moisture sand for 95 d. The seeds began to germinate on the day 2 and reached the germination peak on the day 7.The germination rate and germination vigor were both 90.0% under being treated with 98% H2SO4 for 2 h. The seeds began to germinate on the day 1 and reached the germination peak on the day 4.Seeds after being treated with 98% H2SO4 for 2 h were sowed on the dark medium of MS + 0.5 g/mL BA + 0.5 g/mL GA, and the germination rate and germination vigor both reached to 98.1%. The seeds began to germinate on the day 1 and reached the germination peak on the day 4. Conclusion: The dormancy of N. sibirica seeds is caused by hard seed vessels. The best way of breaking the seed dormancy is first treated with 98% H2SO4 for 2 h and then cultured in the dark medium of MS + 0.5 g/mL BA + 0.5 g/mL GA, which could effectively break the dormancy of hard seeds and reach a high germination rate.