Dormancy Characteristics of Euphorbia maculata L. Seeds and Strategies for Their Effective Germination

Abstract

Euphorbia maculata L. has been confirmed to have functional properties, including anticytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative effects. However, studies on the dormancy and germination of its seeds for cultivation purposes are lacking. The potential of E. maculata as a valuable plant species has not been fully realized due to the lack of understanding of its seed dormancy and germination characteristics. E. maculata seeds were collected and germination tests were performed at various temperatures to determine their dormant state. Next, seeds were stratified with various temperatures, and treated temperature conditions similar to those of its natural habitat to induce dormancy release. The seeds exhibited very low germination below 30 °C, which indicates the possibility of innate dormancy. Subsequently, dormancy was released by cold stratification, and an expansion in the temperature range suitable for germination was observed, confirming that E. maculata seeds exhibit conditional dormancy. Conversely, high-temperature moist stratification did not effectively break dormancy as it led to seed decay. Therefore, we treated the seeds at various high temperatures in a dry environment. This facilitated dormancy release without the need for moist stratification, allowing for seed storage while ensuring the uniform and rapid production of E. maculata seedlings and minimizing seed wastage. Additionally, seeds with broken dormancy did not require a high temperature for germination, making them more cost-effective. Therefore, comprehensively examining germination and dormancy characteristics may optimize the cultivation process of this valuable plant species, E. maculata.