Dry after-ripening, light, cold stratification and temperature effects on seed germination of Primula poissonii from Yunnan, China

Abstract

Primula poissonii, an attractive wild plant growing in the subalpine/alpine region of southwest China, has low seed germination in cultivation. This study attempted to improve seed germination by testing the effect of several treatments including dry after-ripening (DAR), light, cold stratification (CS) and temperature gradient treatments. DAR increased germination at 15/5 and 25/15°C, as compared with fresh seeds. DAR seeds germinated significantly better (> 80%) at higher temperatures (20-28°C) than at lower (10°C, < 20%; 15°C, < 30%) and extreme high temperatures (30°C, < 55%; 32°C, 0%). Incubation at alternating temperature (25/15°C) did not significantly improve germination; whereas at 15/5°C germination increased significantly, compared with the corresponding constant temperature (20 and 10°C, respectively). DAR seeds had a strict light requirement at all temperatures. As DAR and CS are sufficient to break seed dormancy, the seeds of P. poissonii appear to have non-deep PD. For non-dormant cold-stratified seeds, the estimated Tb and thermal time (θ50) were 2.3°C and 74.1°Cd, respectively.