Different levels of morphophysiological seed dormancy in Ribes alpinum and R. uva-crispa (Grossulariaceae) facilitate adaptation to differentiated habitats

• Raquel Herranz-Ferrer ^[1] ; Miguel Ángel Copete-Carreño ^[1] ; José María Herranz-Sanz ^[1] ; Elena Copete-Carreño ^[1] ; Pablo Ferrandis-Gotor ^[1]
  1. [1] Castilla-La Mancha University
• Localización: Forest systems, ISSN 2171-5068, ISSN-e 2171-9845, Vol. 29, Nº. 2, 2020, págs. 170-182
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Aim of the study: To study the germination ecology of two species of the genus Ribes to reveal their levels of morphophysiological dormancy (MPD) and to facilitate the production of plants from seeds, a key tool for population reinforcement.

    Area of study: Experiments were carried out both outdoors and in the laboratory in Albacete (Spain) with seeds from the Meridional Iberian System mountain range.

    Material and methods: Seeds from one population of Ribes alpinum and from other of Ribes uva-crispa were collected during several years. Embryo length, radicle and seedling emergence, and effects on germination of stratification and GA3 were analysed to determine the level of MPD.

    Main results: In R. alpinum, embryo length in fresh seeds was 0.49 mm, needing to grow to 1.30 mm to germinate. Warm stratification (25/10ºC) promoted embryo length enlargement to 0.97 mm. Afterwards, seeds germinated within a wide temperature range. Embryo growth and seedling emergence occur late summer-early autumn. In R. uva-crispa, embryo length in fresh seeds was 0.52 mm, being 2.10 mm the minimal size to germinate. Embryos exposed to a moderately warm stratification (20/7ºC + 15/4ºC) followed by cold (5ºC) grew to 2.30 mm. Then, seeds germinated ≥ 80% when incubated at temperatures ≥ 15/4ºC. Embryos grew in autumn/early winter, and seedlings emerged late winter-early spring.

    Research highlights: These results showed that R. alpinum seeds have a nondeep simple MPD while R. uva-crispa seeds have a nondeep complex MPD. Moreover, the different germinative models found for each species help explain their installation in distinct habitats.