Abstract
The incorporation of native plant species is central to restoration efforts, but this is often limited by both the availability of seeds and the relatively low viability and germination rates of commercially available seeds. Although pre-sowing treatments are commonly used to improve germination rates of seeds, the efficacy of these treatments is found to vary across species. In this study, we tested how four pre-sow treatments (physical scarification, acid scarification, cold stratification, and aerated hydropriming) affected the viability and seed germination rates of 12 commercially available plant species native to south Texas and commonly used in restoration efforts. Our results show that the viability of the seeds have a wide range, from 78% to 1.25%. Similarly, the total germination rate ranged from 62% to 0%. We found that pre-sowing treatments accelerated the germination rate in 9 of 12 plant species tested, but the effect varied by treatment. Collectively, our results identify various methods to achieve the best germination rates for native plants of south Texas, to help improve restoration efforts across the region.
Highlights
Native plants are a key element for habitat restoration and landscaping projects [1] as they are well adapted to local environments, and often have fewer resource requirements, lower maintenance needs [2], and contribute to biodiversity and ecosystem stability [3]
Plant species used in this study varied in both seed viability and germination rates (Table 1, Figure 1)
Our results show that acid scarification negligibly improved germination rates in W. acapulcensis (2.1% versus 0%) compared to other treatments. [31] reported a high germination rate (77%) in A. angustissima seeds treated with acid; in our study, the germination rate after acid scarification was not significantly different from control
Summary
Native plants are a key element for habitat restoration and landscaping projects [1] as they are well adapted to local environments, and often have fewer resource requirements, lower maintenance needs [2], and contribute to biodiversity and ecosystem stability [3]. These plants assist in soil stabilization, erosion control, and reduce chemical runoff from entering waterways [4,5]. Since the success of restoration projects is often constrained by costs, pre-sow treatments that increase germination rates improve restoration efforts by reducing seed loss [17]
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