Abstract
Effects of pH, photoperiod, and substrate nutrient concentration on the rate of germination of the gemmae and primary protonema growth of Calymperes erosum C. Muell. were studied. There was a statistically significant difference in germination of C. erosum gemmae and protonema growth among the different substrate pH levels, photoperiod treatments, and substrate nutrient conditions, respectively (P<0.01). Gemmae germination and protonemal growth peaked at pH 4 and 5. Protonemal growth was retarded at pH 2, 3, 6, and 7. No germination was observed in continuous darkness. Germination and protonema growth increased significantly (P<0.01) within the first 3 and 6 hours of daylight but not again until after 9 and 12 hours of exposure, respectively. No statistical (P>0.05) increase in germination and protonemal growth was observed when the nutrient concentration was increased from 25% to 200%. Results indicate the moss is adapted to low nutrients and that it may germinate well at substrate pH as low as 2 howbeit the probability of establishment will remain limited until pH levels improve to 4 or 5. Furthermore, the moss is able to achieve net photosynthetic carbon gain during morning hours. Recovery from photoinhibition is likely by evening.
Highlights
Plants being mostly immobile generally survive changes in seasons by having different life cycle stages that are adapted to different conditions
The best growth in primary protonema occurred in medium of pH 4 and 5 and the growth at both pH levels was significantly higher than that in pH 2, 3, 6, and 7, respectively
There was no statistical difference in primary protonemal growth between pH levels 2 and 3 (P = 0.992), 4 and 5 (P = 1), and 6 and 7 (P = 0.987)
Summary
Plants being mostly immobile generally survive changes in seasons by having different life cycle stages that are adapted to different conditions. Bryophytes are able to react quickly to climatic flux due to their short life cycle and the ease with which they disperse their spores [1]. Spores are their means of sexual reproduction, asexual propagules are being considered to play significant role in reproduction in mosses [2,3,4,5,6,7]. In the humid forest of West Tropical Africa the genus Calymperes occurs mostly as epiphytes where it produces both gemmiferous and nongemmiferous leaves [9]. Propagules of the moss become detached from the parent plant and are dispersed onto a spectrum of substrates and environmental conditions, where a few germinate and grow into new leafy gametophores [8]
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