Understanding Plasticity in Seed Dormancy and Germination Response

A special issue of Seeds (ISSN 2674-1024).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 December 2022) | Viewed by 6911

Special Issue Editor

School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth 6845, Australia
Interests: ecological restoration; seed biology; community ecology and phytosociology; freshwater aquatic ecosystems; conservation biology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the face of a rapidly changing world, whether this be due to climatic change or our impacts on natural ecosystems, there has never been a more pressing time to understand how species respond to environmental variability. Reproduction by seeds represents the only mechanism for persisting through unfavourable periods or moving across landscapes for many plant species, yet our knowledge of the complexity and specificity of the requirements for seed dormancy alleviation and subsequent seed germination often remains poor. For conservation and ecological restoration activities to succeed, and to determine to true impacts of environmental change on the future of species, we must better understand the physiological and ecological plasticity inherent in seeds and how this drives the success or failure of reproduction under different environmental conditions. This Special Issue aims to compile empirical seed ecology studies undertaking hypothesis-driven examination of the plasticity in seed dormancy and seed germination responses, across all global ecosystems and in all ecological contexts.

Dr. Adam T. Cross
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • seed dormancy
  • seed ecology
  • ecophysiology
  • seed germination
  • germination cues
  • ecological plasticity

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 1242 KiB  
Article
Variation of Seed Traits and Initial Quality among Selected Cowpea, Mungbean, and Soybean Accessions
by Sognigbé N’Danikou, Abdul J. Shango and Jeremiah P. Sigalla
Seeds 2022, 1(4), 303-314; https://doi.org/10.3390/seeds1040025 - 4 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3304
Abstract
Seed traits are essential quantitative variables to assess seed quality and are also indicators of crop success. The World Vegetable Center Genebank in Arusha, Tanzania, has an important legume collection; however, there is limited information on seed traits per genotype, i.e., 1000-seed weight, [...] Read more.
Seed traits are essential quantitative variables to assess seed quality and are also indicators of crop success. The World Vegetable Center Genebank in Arusha, Tanzania, has an important legume collection; however, there is limited information on seed traits per genotype, i.e., 1000-seed weight, the number of seeds per gram, germination percentage (GP), and mean germination time (MGT). In this study, 8 cowpea, 54 mungbean, and 15 soybean accessions were evaluated for the abovementioned parameters. A significant difference was observed among the genotypes of the selected legumes with respect to all the measured parameters. An intraspecific variation was also observed for the measured seed traits. The 1000-seed weight decreased with an increase in the number of seeds per gram. Unlike cowpea, the GP of mungbean and soybean accessions was significantly and negatively influenced by the number of seeds per 1 g. Hence, the smaller-sized seeds (with many seeds in 1 g) exhibited lower GP. It is concluded that the seed traits and initial quality among the selected legumes are strongly influenced by their genetic makeup. These results are useful to inform seed management, exchange, utilization, and have a high potential in breeding programs, and require further research attention. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Plasticity in Seed Dormancy and Germination Response)
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10 pages, 1149 KiB  
Article
From Cone to Seed and Seedling—Characterization of Three Portuguese Pinus pinaster Aiton Populations
by Paula Maia and Sofia Corticeiro
Seeds 2022, 1(2), 126-135; https://doi.org/10.3390/seeds1020011 - 7 May 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2700
Abstract
Seed production in Pinus pinaster Aiton is not usually considered a limiting factor for natural regeneration; instead, seed weight is a more limiting factor in successful pine recruitment. Divergent relationships between seed weight and germination rate were previously observed amongst maritime pine populations [...] Read more.
Seed production in Pinus pinaster Aiton is not usually considered a limiting factor for natural regeneration; instead, seed weight is a more limiting factor in successful pine recruitment. Divergent relationships between seed weight and germination rate were previously observed amongst maritime pine populations of central coastal Portugal. The present study followed cone-to-seed and seed-to-seedling approaches to decrease intra-specific variability and clarify the impact of cone size and seed mass on seedling recruitment. The main objectives of this study were (1) to determine and compare the mass of cones and seeds of three maritime pine populations located along a geographic gradient along the coastal center of Portugal and (2) to clarify the relations thereof between cone and seed traits with germination phenology and initial seedling growth. Results demonstrated that heavier cones tended to generate more mature seeds, but not necessarily heavier ones, although seed weight was suggested to be an indicator of robust seedlings. The outcomes of this study reinforce the great intra-population variability of maritime pine, showing the ecology of this species and its ability to adapt to various environments successfully. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Plasticity in Seed Dormancy and Germination Response)
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