Seed Science Research最新文献

{"title":"Redox imbalance accompanies loss of viability in seeds of two cacti species buried in situ","authors":"David A. Guzmán-Hernández, Claudia Barbosa-Martínez, Juan M. Villa-Hernández, Laura J. Pérez-Flores","doi":"10.1017/s0960258524000011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0960258524000011","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This work provides insights into the deterioration of cacti seeds of <span>Escontria chiotilla</span> (F.A.C. Weber ex K. Schum) and <span>Stenocereus pruinosus</span> (Otto ex Pfeiff.) Buxbaum stored <span>ex situ</span> at 25 °C, under dry and dark conditions or buried <span>in situ</span> conditions in a xerophytic shrubland. Viability, germination speed, electrolyte leakage and indicators of the redox balance including glutathione content, glutathione half-cell reduction potential (E<span>GSSG/2GSH</span>) and malondialdehyde (MDA), oxidized protein content, together with water-soluble antioxidant enzyme activity were assessed. Over a period of two years of storage, viability was maintained when seeds were stored <span>ex situ</span> at 7–9% water content compared to seeds buried in the soil. A second burial experiment showed that seeds of <span>E. chiotilla</span> maintained viability during a year of storage that included a rainy season followed by a dry season. Thereafter, they died rapidly during the second rainy season. In contrast, those of <span>S. pruinosus</span> started to lose viability after 6 months of burial at the end of the rainy season and were mostly dead at the end of the dry season. This difference in persistence between species was related to a difference in the glutathione content and antioxidant enzyme activities. In both storage experiments, the loss of viability of both species was associated to a E<span>GSSG/2GSH</span> shift to a more oxidative state during burial. Yet, contents in MDA and oxidized soluble proteins were not related to redox imbalance and loss of viability, indicating that these compounds are not good markers of oxidative stress in cacti seeds during storage.</p>","PeriodicalId":21711,"journal":{"name":"Seed Science Research","volume":"24 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140553481","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phylogenetic trends in TZ staining analysis of six deep dormancy seeds","authors":"Chen Yin Peng, Yu Wu, Wen Hui Huang, Zhi Yun Deng, Xiao Rui Sun, Ming Zhu Wang, Hugh W. Pritchard, Yong Bao Shen, Jin Ya Xu, Xiang Yu Yu, Cong Cong Guo","doi":"10.1017/s0960258524000060","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0960258524000060","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The assessment of seed quality and physiological potential is essential in seed production and crop breeding. In the process of rapid detection of seed viability using tetrazolium (TZ) staining, it is necessary to spend a lot of labour and material resources to explore the pretreatment and staining methods of hard and solid seeds with physical barriers. This study explores the TZ staining methods of six hard seeds (<span>Tilia miqueliana</span>, <span>Tilia henryana, Sassafras tzumu</span>, <span>Prunus subhirtella</span>, <span>Prunus sibirica</span>, and <span>Juglans mandshurica</span>) and summarizes the TZ staining conditions required for hard seeds by combining the difference in fat content between seeds and the kinship between species, thus providing a rapid viability test method for the protection of germplasm resources of endangered plants and the optimization of seed bank construction. The TZ staining of six species of hard seeds requires a staining temperature above 35 °C and a TZ solution concentration higher than 1%. Endospermic seeds require shorter staining times than exalbuminous seeds. The higher the fat content of the seeds, the lower the required incubation temperature and TZ concentration for staining, and the longer the staining time. And the closer the relationship between the two species, the more similar their staining conditions become. The TZ staining method of similar species can be predicted according to the genetic distance between the phylogenetic trees, and the viability of new species can be detected quickly.</p>","PeriodicalId":21711,"journal":{"name":"Seed Science Research","volume":"37 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140553647","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Likelihood ratio test for the analysis of germination percentages","authors":"Yongha Rhie, Soyeon Lee, Hohsuk Noh","doi":"10.1017/s0960258524000023","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0960258524000023","url":null,"abstract":"The germination percentage (GP) is commonly employed to estimate the viability of a seed population. Statistical methods such as analysis of variance (ANOVA) and logistic regression are frequently used to analyse GP data. While ANOVA has a long history of usage, logistic regression is considered more suitable for GP data due to its binomial nature. However, both methods have inherent issues that require attention. In this study, we address previously unexplored challenges associated with these methods and propose the utilization of a likelihood ratio test as a solution. We demonstrate the advantages of employing the likelihood ratio test for GP data analysis through simulations and real data analysis.","PeriodicalId":21711,"journal":{"name":"Seed Science Research","volume":"54 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140343176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interactions between seed functional traits and environmental factors and their influence on germination performance of Australian native species","authors":"Fernanda C. Beveridge, Alwyn Williams, Robyn Cave, Sundaravelpandian Kalaipandian, Buddhi Dayananda, Steve W. Adkins","doi":"10.1017/s0960258523000235","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0960258523000235","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Climate variability is expected to increase due to climate change, with projected increases in temperature and erratic rainfall patterns. These changes will alter the environmental cues sensed by seeds, and therefore will impact plant recruitment. This study investigated the effects of seed functional traits (germinability, germination time, synchrony and seed mass) on germination responses of several sub-tropical native Australian plant species under different environmental factors (water stress, salinity and pH). The effect of a hot water pre-treatment was also tested on Fabaceae seeds with known physical dormancy. Seed traits, environmental factors and seed pre-treatments had significant effects on final germination percentage and germination time. Seed mass and time to 50% germination (<span>t</span><span>50</span>) were also positively correlated. In contrast, pH did not affect germination and there was no interaction between pH and any of the measured seed functional traits. Some species showed a high thermal tolerance to germination and germination was indifferent to light conditions for all species. Results showed that certain seed functional traits interact with environmental factors to influence germination percentage and time. These findings highlight the importance of considering seed functional traits when determining a species germination response under a changing climate. In addition, the findings provide important knowledge to better guide seed-based land restoration programmes.</p>","PeriodicalId":21711,"journal":{"name":"Seed Science Research","volume":"41 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140209683","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The re-establishment of desiccation tolerance in germinated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) seeds","authors":"Naoto Sano, Jerome Verdier","doi":"10.1017/s0960258524000047","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0960258524000047","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Desiccation tolerance (DT) of seeds, one of the plant's environmental adaptation mechanisms, allows them to survive as seeds in a quiescent state under extremely water-deficient conditions during the plant's life cycle, followed by seed germination and seedling establishment under favourable water conditions. The seed-DT is lost after radicle emergence; however, there is a developmental period called the ‘DT window’ during which the germinating seeds can re-induce DT following a cue from their ambient low water potential (i.e. mild osmotic stress). The DT re-inducibility within the DT window has been used as a model biosystem for understanding molecular mechanisms that activate/supress DT in a number of plant species. However, the characteristics of the DT window for species particularly important to the agroindustry are still largely fragmented. Here, physiological analyses were performed, aiming to elucidate the properties of the DT window in tomato, a model species for Solanaceae, holding a key strategic position for the seed industry and commercial use around the world. We revealed that (i) the DT window of tomato seeds is closed when the developing radicle reaches about 4 mm after germination, (ii) the most effective ambient water potential to re-induce DT into seeds is about −1.5 MPa and (iii) there is organ specificity of DT re-induction with hypocotyls, showing a longer DT window than cotyledons and roots in post-germination seeds.</p>","PeriodicalId":21711,"journal":{"name":"Seed Science Research","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140000869","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A classification system for seed (diaspore) monomorphism and heteromorphism in angiosperms","authors":"Jerry M. Baskin, Carol C. Baskin","doi":"10.1017/s0960258523000193","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0960258523000193","url":null,"abstract":"<p>‘Seed heteromorphism’ is a broadly- and loosely-defined term used to describe differences in size/mass, morphology, position on mother plants and ecological function (e.g. dispersal, dormancy/germination) of two or more seeds or other diaspores produced by an individual plant. The primary aim of this review paper was to characterize via an in-depth classification scheme the physical structural design (‘architecture’) of diaspore monomorphism and diaspore heteromorphism in angiosperms. The diaspore classification schemes of Mandák and Barker were expanded/modified, and in doing so some of the terminology that Zohary, Ellner and Shmida, and van der Pijl used for describing diaspore dispersal were incorporated into our system. Based on their (relative) size, morphology and position on the mother plant, diaspores of angiosperms were divided into two divisions and each of these into several successively lower hierarchical layers. Thus, our classification scheme, an earlier version of which was published in the second edition of ‘Seeds’ by Baskin and Baskin, includes not only heteromorphic but also monomorphic diaspores, the <span>Division</span> to which the diaspores of the vast majority of angiosperms belong. The scheme will be useful in describing the ecology, biogeography and evolution of seed heteromorphism in flowering plants.</p>","PeriodicalId":21711,"journal":{"name":"Seed Science Research","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-02-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139917146","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Your P-values are significant (or not), so what … now what?","authors":"Héctor E. Pérez","doi":"10.1017/s0960258524000035","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0960258524000035","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Statistical significance, or lack thereof, is often erroneously interpreted as a measure of the magnitude of effects, correlations between variables or practical relevance of research results. However, calculated <span>P</span>-values do not provide any information of this sort. Alternatively, effect sizes as measured by effect size indices provide complementary information to results of statistical hypothesis testing that is crucial and necessary to fully interpret data and then draw meaningful conclusions. Effect size indices have been used extensively for decades in the medical, psychological and social sciences but have received scant attention in the plant sciences. This Technical Update focuses on (1) raising awareness of these important statistical tools for seed science research, (2) providing additional resources useful for incorporating effect sizes into research programmes and (3) encouraging further applications of these tools in our discipline.</p>","PeriodicalId":21711,"journal":{"name":"Seed Science Research","volume":"49 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139745226","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Population size is not a reliable indicator of seed germination","authors":"Jerry M. Baskin, Carol C. Baskin","doi":"10.1017/s0960258523000247","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0960258523000247","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Small isolated plant populations are one of the consequences of fragmentation of natural habitats by humans. We asked what effect does the creation of smaller populations from larger ones has on the plant fitness-related trait seed germination. Using information on 119 species (142 species entries) in 50 families, we found that seeds in only 35.2% of the species entries from larger populations germinated to higher percentages than those from smaller populations. In the other entries, seeds from large and small populations germinated equally well (57.7% of total entries) or seeds from small populations germinated better (7.0% of total entries) than those from large populations. These results indicate that population size is not a reliable predictor of seed germinability. Furthermore, there was little relationship between seed germination and either seed mass, genetic diversity or degree of population isolation, or between population size and genetic diversity.</p>","PeriodicalId":21711,"journal":{"name":"Seed Science Research","volume":"39 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139688220","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dry storage alters intraspecific variation in phenotypic traits at early life stages: evidence from a dominant alpine meadow species","authors":"Dali Chen, Haiying Yuan, Jinglong Bao, Xiaohua Zhao, Xiuzhen Fu, Xiaowen Hu","doi":"10.1017/s0960258523000223","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0960258523000223","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The intraspecific variations of phenotypic traits in the early life stages, such as seed germination and seedling establishment, are important components affecting species adaptation and differentiation. As one of the most common ways in which seeds are maintained, dry storage usually affects these traits, by either increasing or decreasing variation among populations. However, little is known about how the interaction between dry storage and population variation of a species affects the performance and adaptability of early life-cycle traits. In this study, we conducted experiments with seeds from ten populations of <span>Elymus nutans</span> along an altitudinal gradient on the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Fresh seeds and seeds stored dry for 6 months were used to quantify the temperature thresholds for germination, determine seedling emergence and survival in two common gardens and examine the correlation between these traits and environmental conditions of population provenance. Dry storage increased germination percentage, germination speed and seedling emergence, and decreased intraspecific variation in germination traits of seeds (reduced by 33.36, 52.05 and 20.45% for <span>T</span><span>b</span>, <span>θ<span>T</span></span><span>(50)</span> and <span>σ</span><span>θ<span>T</span></span>, respectively). Dry storage had little effect on the intraspecific variation of seedling emergence and survival. In addition, the temperature threshold for germination cannot be used to predict seedling emergence and survival in either common garden, regardless of whether seeds were stored or not. These results indicated that it is feasible to use dry-stored seeds to evaluate and select suitable provenances in ecological restoration, and using dry-stored seeds in ecological restoration projects is expected to achieve better vegetation restoration results than fresh seeds. On the other hand, the status of seeds (fresh vs. dry stored) should be considered in an evaluation of the adaptive value of plant functional traits, especially in the early life stages, otherwise, inconsistent conclusions may be drawn.</p>","PeriodicalId":21711,"journal":{"name":"Seed Science Research","volume":"11 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139655728","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Overcoming major barriers in seed ecology research in developing countries","authors":"Fernando A. O. Silveira, Lisieux Fuzessy, Shyam S. Phartyal, Roberta L. C. Dayrell, Filip Vandelook, Jerónimo Vázquez-Ramírez, Çağatay Tavşanoğlu, Mehdi Abedi, Sershen Naidoo, Diana C. Acosta-Rojas, Si-Chong Chen, Diana M. Cruz-Tejada, Gehan Jayasuryia, Carlos A. Ordóñez-Parra, Arne Saatkamp","doi":"10.1017/s0960258523000181","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0960258523000181","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Scientists are becoming increasingly aware that disparities in opportunities for conducting and publishing research among scientists living under different socio-economic contexts have created pervasive biases and long-lasting impacts on our views of the natural world. These disparities are challenging the establishment of a global research agenda for a variety of disciplines, including seed ecology. Seed ecology has progressed enormously recently, but multiple barriers have hindered progress in the Global South where biodiversity and environmental complexity are highest. Here, we identify ten major challenges that seed ecologists from developing countries face in relation to planning, designing, conducting and publishing their research. We also propose several measures to overcome these challenges: (1) closing biodiversity knowledge shortfalls, (2) enhancing and creating long-term seed ecological networks, (3) supporting better infrastructure, (4) making fieldwork easier and safer, (5) unlocking funding opportunities, (6) promoting inclusive scientific meetings, (7) alleviating language barriers, (8) improving education, (9) shifting the notion of novelty and relevance and (10) supporting native seed markets. The authors recommend that the proposed solutions can be implemented by seed ecologists and the broader scientific community including funding agencies, research directors, journal editors and the academic publishing industry. Solutions can help mitigate multiple challenges simultaneously, thus offering a relatively inexpensive, fast and productive pathway for the development of seed ecology into a truly global research discipline that benefits scientists irrespective of their geographic location and background.</p>","PeriodicalId":21711,"journal":{"name":"Seed Science Research","volume":"38 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139082009","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}