Temperature may regulate seed dormancy and germination and determine the geographical distribution of species. The present study investigated the thermal limits for seed germination of Polygonum ferrugineum (Polygonaceae), an aquatic emergent herb distributed throughout tropical and subtropical America. Seed germination responses to light and temperature were\nevaluated both before (control) and after stratification at 10, 15 and 20°C for 7, 14 and 28 d.\nGermination of control seeds was ∼50% at 10 and 15°C, and they did not germinate from 20 to 30°C. The best stratification treatment was 7 d at 10°C, where seed germination was major to 76% in the dark for all temperatures, except at 30°C, and minor to 60% in light conditions. A thermal time approach was applied to the seed germination results. Base temperature (Tb) was 6.3°C for non-dormant seeds and optimal temperature (To) was 20.6°C, ceiling temperature (Tc (minor to 50)) was 32.8°C, and thermal time requirement for 50% germination was 44.4°Cd. We concluded that a fraction of P. ferrugineum seeds is dormant, has a narrow thermal niche to germinate (10 and 15°C) and that cold stratification (10°C) alleviated dormancy and amplified the thermal range permissive for germination of the species. Consequently, P. ferrugineum is expected to occur in colder environments, for example, at high altitudes. Higher temperatures decrease the probabilities of alleviate dormancy and the ability of their seeds to germinate.
Marques, A. R.; Gonçalves, A. L. B. R.; Santos, F. S.; Batlla, D.; Benech Arnold, R. L.; & Garcia, Q. S. (2021). Thermal requirements and germination niche breadth of Polygonum ferrugineum Wedd. from southeastern Brazil. Seed science research,31, (2),p.91-97
10.1017/S0960258521000106
Marques, Andréa R., Gonçalves, Ana Letícia B. R., Santos, Fábio S., Batlla, Diego, Benech Arnold, Roberto Luis, Garcia, Queila S.. 2021. "Thermal requirements and germination niche breadth of Polygonum ferrugineum Wedd. from southeastern Brazil". Seed science research 31, no.2:91-97.
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