Abstract
Chinese pistache tree (Pistacia chinensis Bunge, Anacardiaceae) is an important oil, ornamental and afforestation tree species. Seeds of this species are known due to their erratic germination, so it is urgent to determine the causes of such dormancy. To do so, we tested water permeability, respiration rate, mechanical constraint and germination inhibitors. The results indicated that the testa was water-permeable, the raphe and hilum as the areas that contributed most to imbibition. Removal of the testa increased the imbibition rate and improved the oxygen availability to the embryo. Furthermore, the analysis of the extracts showed that the endotesta and embryo may contain inhibitors that negatively affect germination and seedling growth. The widely targeted metabolomics revealed that phenolic acids and organic acids may be the potential inhibitors. Seed scarification, exogenous gibberellin (GA3) and cold stratification greatly increased the germination, but seed scarification (removal of the exotesta and 1/2 cotyledon) was the most effective strategy, since it increased the germination up to 89% after 5 days of incubation, a rate significantly higher regarding the other strategies, which barely reached 60% in 20 days. In conclusion, there seems to exist both a mechanical dormancy due to the testa and a physiological inhibition due to the embryo.
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