Dormancy and viability ofFerocactus peninsulae(Cactaceae) seeds

Abstract

AbstractKnowledge on seed dormancy is crucial for the understanding of plant population dynamics, as it controls seed germination and seed bank formation. Dormant seeds have high potential to establish in soil seed banks, but such information within Cactaceae is scarce, although it is essential for conservation programs. The aim of this study was to determine if seeds ofFerocactus peninsulaeshowed any kind of dormancy and to test their germination capacity after storage. This was assessed with 15 seed sowing experiments done over 4 years with seeds stored under room conditions (20 ± 2°C). We demonstrated the existence of physiological dormancy inF. peninsulaeseeds that is broken with an after‐ripening period. Germination was low during the first 3 months of storage (d = 0.206) but increased after 10 months of storage (d = 0.654), and seeds maintained their viability at 48 months (d = 0.707). Also, their speed of germination increased with storage time.Ferocactus peninsulaeseeds are positively photoblastic, and the requirement for light for germination persisted over all experiments. The results provide crucial information for propagation and conservation research and may allow us to infer thatF. peninsulaeseeds are able to form a persistent soil seed bank, as they maintained their viability after dormancy is released.