Markku Nygren

Germination characteristics of autumn collected Pinus sylvestris seeds

Nygren M. (1987). Germination characteristics of autumn collected Pinus sylvestris seeds. Acta Forestalia Fennica no. 201 article id 7648. https://doi.org/10.14214/aff.7648

Abstract

Germination tests in varying photoperiod- and temperature-regimes showed that for early autumn collections, germination of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seeds is delayed, especially at low incubation temperature (+10°C) and in darkness. The presence of light during germination (8- or 24-hour photoperiod) or high incubation temperature (+20°C) enhanced germination. As autumn proceeded, a greater proportion of seed were able of germinate in darkness and also in low temperature regime. This result was consistent in both populations studied – in seeds from natural stand (Hyytiälä, Southern Finland) and in seeds from the Hyytiälä clone archive trees, growing in the same site.

An attempt was made to relate the development of germinability during autumn to previously accumulated chilling unit (optimum temperature +3.5°C) sum. Germination percent variation in subsequent cone-collection could not, however, be explained with accumulated chilling.

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Keywords
Pinus sylvestris; Scots pine; seed maturation; seed germination; seed dormancy; chilling requirement

Published in 1987

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Available at https://doi.org/10.14214/aff.7648 | Download PDF