Effect of Light and Moisture Conditions and Seed Age on Germination of Three Closely Related Myosotis Species

Abstract

Germination of three closely related species from the Myosotis palustris group (M. nemorosa, M. palustris subsp. laxiflora, M. caespitosa) differing in their habitats and capacity for clonal growth, was compared in two greenhouse experiments. To evaluate both inter- and intraspecific variation, each species was represented by seeds from several populations. Final germination percentage and germination rates T50 were compared both between species and populations within species. In the first experiment, we studied the influence of two external factors, moisture and light. Four moisture levels (dry, wet, periodically flooded and permanently flooded soil) and three types of shading (without shading, shaded with green foil, shaded with solid paper sheet) were combined in a complete factorial design. In all three species, total germination percentage was the same in the three wettest treatments, and decreased in the dry treatment. Germination in the treatments shaded with green foil (simulating vegetation cover, which changed light quality) was significantly slower than in treatments without shading and treatments shaded with a solid paper sheet. There were significant differences among species, but we also found very pronounced differences among populations within a species. M. caespitosa had the uniformly highest germination percentage (reaching in some cases 100%) and also fastest germination. Germination of M. palustris subsp. laxiflora populations was slower and reached lower final proportions, and medium variability among populations. Inter-population variability in the final germination percentage was highest, and the final germination the lowest in M. nemorosa. In addition, M. nemorosa, a species typical for permanent meadow communities was delayed by permanent flooding. In the second experiment, we studied the effects of seed age and storage conditions. Three combinations of seed age and storage were used: younger seeds (half year old) with no-chilling, younger seeds with chilling and old seeds (three years old) with chilling. M. caespitosa had again the highest final germination percentage and fastest germination rates T50. In addition, final germination percentage of this species slightly increased with seed age, whereas it decreased in the other two species. The germination behaviour corresponded well to expectation based on species life histories and habitat preferences. Remarkably stable and high germination percentages and fastest germination rates T50 were ascertained in M. caespitosa, a species of disturbed habitats, with lowest capacity for clonal spread. M. palustris subsp. laxiflora (species with highest clonal capacity) and M. nemorosa (species with medium clonal potential) achieved lower, but still very high final germination percentage. In addition, M. nemorosa showed the highest inter-populations variability in our experiments.