Seed Traits Research Articles

Persistence and Changes in Morphological Traits of Herbaceous Seeds Due to Burial in Soil

Seeds in soil banks can survive for many years before conditions become more suitable for germination. Meanwhile, seeds undergo changes in morphology and viability. In this study, we launched an artificial seed bank experiment that included 26 species of seeds. We excavated cohorts for 6–8 consecutive years after burial (YAB) in order to determine changes in the morphology (mass, volume, density, seed form) and proportion of fresh (thus persistent) seeds using a crush test as a measure of persistence. The change in seed morphology was fitted by linear and logistic regression, and the proportion of persistent seeds was fitted by logistic regression (effectively by the binomial GLM), which enabled estimation of 50 and 5% persistence times (PT50 and PT05). We found that in most species, seed mass, volume and proportion of persistent seeds declined with YAB, while other morphological traits were less variable, and the decline in these traits with YAB was best fitted with logistic regression. The decline in the proportion of persistent seeds was better fitted by the change in mass than by YAB in some species. Among the species included in this study, PT50 ranged from 1.2 to 10.5 years, and PT05 ranged from 2.1 to 24.3 years. These results can contribute to better understanding of the ecology of weed seed bank persistence in soil. Describing the morphological changes that the seeds undergo in the soil bank may improve our understanding of the biology of seed persistence and facilitate the identification of seeds from the soil bank.

Specificities of measured polyvariance the seeds of <i>Cucurbita pepo</i> var. <i>giramontia</i> Duch. under climate changes in Pridnestrovie

Actuality. Industrial technologies of vegetable crops cultivation, including squash cultivation, a lot of attention is paid to the uniformity of seeds by morphometric traits as a condition allowing to use the precision technologies.The goal of the study is to determine specificities of measured polyvariance the seeds of Cucurbita pepo var. giramontia Duch. under changes of climate conditions in Transnistria.Materials and methods. The studies were carried out at the experimental plot of Pridnestrovian State University (Tiraspol) in 2005-2012. Objects of studies – 5 lines (166/5; 19/84; 98/5; 5Б; 48/20) of squash. Morphometric traits of seeds: mass, width, length, thickness were evaluated in the sample of 100 seeds. Mass of the seed was evaluated with help of torsion scales with exactness to 0,001 g. Width, length, thickness were mesuared with microscope MBS-10 with exactness to 0,1 mm. squash plants were treated with water solutions of the preperation Micefit in concentrations 10 and 100 mg/l in the phase of "2-3 true leaves" and "6-7 true leaves", standard is water treatment.Meteorological conditions (temperature, amount of precipitation) the year of seed reproduction were characterized by the data of Tiraspol Agrometeorological Station. Hydrothermal regime the growing of squash plants was characterized by the hydrothermal coefficient (CHT) of Selyaninov.Results. The nature of changes in temperature and precipitation over 7 years (2005-2012 periods) were reflected increased anomality of weather conditions in Transnistrian region. First of all, it concerns the quantity and the intensity of precipitation during the formation and maturation of squash seeds. Distribution decades of total precipitation and temperatures caused extremely uneven hydration: CHT variation ratio was 29.2-61.3%. Almost all periods of study were stressful for plants and led to the dimensional polyvariance of squash seeds. The variation of morphometric traits (coefficient of variation) is depended on changes in the hydrothermal regime of the growing season. It has a non-linear character and was genotypically caused. Applying the preparation Micefit had a significant effect on the manifestation of traits of squash seeds and its interaction with meteorological factors determined their modifying ability in the following order: mass (78,2%)→ length (56,6%)→ thickness (43,7%)→ width (40,4%).

Predictive Characterization for Seed Morphometric Traits for Genebank Accessions Using Genomic Selection

Seed traits of bread wheat, including the seed size that is considered to be associated with early vigor of the crop and end-use quality, are valuable to farmers and breeders. In this study, a collection of 789 bread wheat landraces, held in-trust at the genebank of the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) were scanned for seed morphometric traits using GrainScan. Diversity analysis using the 12k DartSeq SNP markers revealed that these accessions can be grouped into five distinct clusters. To evaluate the performance for early selection from genebank accessions, we examined the accuracy of genomic selection models with genomic relationship that these landraces accounted for. Based on cross-validations, prediction accuracies for seed traits ranged from 0.64 for seed perimeter to 0.74 for seed width. The variability of prediction accuracies across random validations averaged at 0.14, with a range from 0.12 to 0.18, suggesting stable predictability and reproducible results even with a collection of much greater genetic diversity from genebank accessions. Adding the climatic relationship matrix between accessions based on passport information improved the predictive ability by 8%. Our results on seed traits demonstrated the capacity for estimating important agronomic phenotypes for genebank accessions directly based on genomic information, further advocating the advance in genomic technologies for identifying parental germplasm as potential donors of beneficial alleles for introgression.

Diversity in sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) accessions with different origins based on morphological characteristics, oil traits, and microsatellite markers.

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) is an ecologically and economically important species. Here, we assessed the diversity of 78 accessions cultivated in northern China using 8 agronomic characteristics, oil traits (including oil content and fatty acid composition) in seeds and fruit pulp, and SSR markers at 23 loci. The 78 accessions included 52 from ssp. mongolica, 6 from ssp. sinensis, and 20 hybrids. To assess the phenotypic diversity of these accessions, 8 agronomic fruit traits were recorded and analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA). The first two PCs accounted for approximately 78% of the variation among accessions. The oil contents were higher in pulp (3.46-38.56%) than in seeds (3.88-8.82%), especially in ssp. mongolica accessions. The polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratio was slightly lower in the seed oil of hybrids (76.06%) than that of in ssp. mongolica (77.66%) and higher than that of in ssp. sinensis (72.22%). The monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) ratio in the pulp oil of ssp. sinensis (57.00%) was highest, and that in ssp. mongolica (51.00%) was equal to the ratio in the hybrids (51.20%). Using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), we examined the correlation between agronomic traits and oil characteristics in pulp and seeds. Oil traits in pulp from different origins were correlated with morphological groupings (r = 0.8725, p = 0.0000). To assess the genotypic diversity, 23 SSR markers (including 17 loci previously reported) were used among the 78 accessions with 59 polymorphic amplified fragments obtained and an average PIC value of 0.2845. All accessions were classified into two groups based on the UPGMA method. The accessions of ssp. sinensis and ssp. mongolica were genetically distant. The hybrid accessions were close to ssp. mongolica accessions. The 8 agronomic traits, oil characteristics in seed and pulp oils, and 23 SSR markers successfully distinguished the 78 accessions. These results will be valuable for cultivar identification and genetic diversity analysis in cultivated sea buckthorn.

Construction of a High-Density Genetic Map and Analysis of Seed-Related Traits Using Specific Length Amplified Fragment Sequencing for Cucurbita maxima.

Seed traits are agronomically important for Cucurbita breeding, but the genes controlling seed size, seed weight and seed number have not been mapped in Cucurbita maxima (C. maxima). In this study, 100 F2 individual derived from two parental lines, “2013-12” and “9-6”, were applied to construct a 3,376.87-cM genetic map containing 20 linkage groups (LGs) with an average genetic distance of 0.47 cM using a total of 8,406 specific length amplified fragment (SLAF) markers in C. maxima. Ten quantitative trait loci (QTLs) of seed width (SW), seed length (SL) and hundred-seed weight (HSW) were identified using the composite interval mapping (CIM) method. The QTLs affecting SW, SL and HSW explained a maximum of 38.6%, 28.9% and 17.2% of the phenotypic variation and were detected in LG6, LG6 and LG17, respectively. To validate these results, an additional 150 F2 individuals were used for QTL mapping of SW and SL with cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) markers. We found that two major QTLs, SL6-1 and SW6-1, could be detected in both SLAF-seq and CAPS markers in an overlapped region. Based on gene annotation and non-synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the major SWand SL-associated regions, we found that two genes encoding a VQ motif and an E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase may be candidate genes influencing SL, while an F-box and leucinerich repeat (LRR) domain-containing protein is the potential regulator for SW in C. maxima. This study provides the first high-density linkage map of C. maxima using SNPs developed by SLAF-seq technology, which is a powerful tool for associated mapping of important agronomic traits, map-based gene cloning and marker-assisted selection (MAS)-based breeding in C. maxima.

Genomics-Enabled Analysis of Puroindoline b2 Genes Identifies New Alleles in Wheat and Related Triticeae Species.

Kernel hardness is a key trait of wheat seeds, largely controlled by two tightly linked genes Puroindoline a and b (Pina and Pinb). Genes homologous to Pinb, namely Pinb2, have been studied. Whether these genes contribute to kernel hardness and other important seed traits remains inconclusive. Using the high-quality bread wheat reference genome, we show that PINB2 are encoded by three homoeologous loci Pinb2 not syntenic to the Hardness locus, with Pinb2-7A locus containing three tandem copies. PINB2 proteins have several features conserved for the Pin/Pinb2 phylogenetic cluster but lack a structural basis of significant impact on kernel hardness. Pinb2 are seed-specifically expressed with varied expression levels between the homoeologous copies and among wheat varieties. Using the high-quality genome information, we developed new Pinb2 allele specific markers and demonstrated their usefulness by 1) identifying new Pinb2 alleles in Triticeae species; and 2) performing an association analysis of Pinb2 with kernel hardness. The association result suggests that Pinb2 genes may have no substantial contribution to kernel hardness. Our results provide new insights into Pinb2 evolution and expression and the new allele-specific markers are useful to further explore Pinb2’s contribution to seed traits in wheat.

Ready for change: Seed traits contribute to the high adaptability of mudflat species to their unpredictable habitat

AbstractQuestionA better understanding of species distribution and establishment requires in‐depth information on their seed ecology. We hypothesised that seed traits of mudflat species may indicate a strong environmental adaptation in their highly specialised habitat. Furthermore, we asked the question, do seeds of mudflat species have a specific trait value to contribute high adaptability to small‐scale variation in their unpredictable habitat?LocationCentral Europe.MethodsSeeds of 30 typical mudflat species were used to measure 15 traits that govern seed dispersal (buoyancy and production), persistence (seed desiccation, mass and persistence in soil), and germination and establishment (germination response to different light, temperature and oxygen conditions). Cluster analysis and phylogenetic principal components analysis (pPCA) were conducted to define potential mudflat species functional groups as per their ecological optima.ResultsSeed production and seed mass displayed extremely high variation while seed buoyancy, desiccation and persistence in soil showed almost no variation. All study species produced buoyant, desiccation‐tolerant and long‐term persistent seeds. Germination and establishment traits also displayed similarity in their responses to different germination treatments as the majority (73%) of species has a moderate seed germination niche width. They germinated well under light/aerobic conditions irrespective to temperature fluctuations. The cluster analysis and pPCA separated species into three potential plant functional groups as ‘true’, ‘flood‐resistant’ and ‘facultative’, mudflat species.ConclusionModerate variation in the seed traits of mudflat plants suggests they employ different ecological strategies that seem highly predictive to the peculiarity of their specific micro‐habitats, which are largely controlled by the hydroperiod gradient. It implies that seed trait information, which further needs to be tested for their adaptability, can advance our understanding of how community composition at the micro‐habitat level depends on trait values of participating species.

Evidence of maternal effect on germination and vigor of sour passion fruit

Abstract The seminiferous propagation of Sour Passion Fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) is the main kind of multiplication due to the ease formation of seedlings. However, the reduced number of productive and homogeneous cultivars reflects the need for genetic breeding. The objective of this study was to assess the maternal and reciprocal effects in vigor and germination of Sour Passion Fruit seeds. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design in the factorial scheme, with two structure (hybrid and reciprocal) and ten crosses with four replicates (50 seeds) in trays containing inert sand in germination chamber. Before sowing, it was obtained the weight of 100 seeds, and at 28 days germination percentage, emergence speed index, total seedlings length, shoot length and main root length, number of normal seedlings and dry mass per seedlings were evaluated. The reciprocal effects tell us which genotype is most promising when used as the female or male parent for the trait studied. It can be inferred that there is maternal effect influencing the weight of 100 seeds, emergence, emergence speed index and the number of normal seedlings. There was influence of the parent on the expression of traits in seeds of Sour Passion Fruit. It is important to define the paternal and maternal parent to obtain seeds with high germination potential.

Characterization of the Oleaginous Potential of <i>Jatropha curcas</i> in Burkina Faso: Study of Accessions Resistance to Fungal Pathogens, Seed Traits and Molecular Diversity

The development of the <i>Jatropha</i> sector is limited by the lack of adequate plant genetic resources and data on local genotypes. However, knowledge of the characteristics of local accessions can help to identify suitable genotypes and/or identify varietal improvement paths for sustainable biofuel production. In order to characterize the local genotypes of <i>Jatropha curcas</i> in Burkina Faso, seeds of a collection from 40 plantations of the different climatic zones of the country were used to assess the accessions resistance to fungal pathogens, seeds oil and germination and molecular diversity. The results revealed a high variability in accessions resistance to fungal pathogens, seeds oil content and germination depending on the accessions. These variations of seeds oil content, seeds germination capacity and accessions resistance to fungal pathogens could been explained by genetic factors. This hypothesis is confirmed by genetic parameters which showed a strong heritability of the studied characters. Indeed, outside the diameter of the necrosis, the study exhibited high phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation and high heritability in broad sense. The study also revealed positive correlations between resistance parameters and seed oil content on the one hand and between these parameters and germination capacity on the other hand. There are good opportunities to improve accessions resistance to pathogens, seeds oil content and germination capacity. However, the evaluation of molecular diversity based on 20 microsatellites markers showed low genetic diversity. The high phenotypic variability observed in seed traits and resistance of accessions contrasts with a low level of genetic diversity of accessions. This study constitutes an important contribution to the characterization of local genotypes in order to identify the best genotypes for improvement of seeds traits and accessions resistance to fungi in a breeding program.

DNA Barcoding Identifies Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. macrocarpa in Derna Region, East Libya

Many methods are accessible that apply diverse criteria for the reasons of identifying taxonomic specialization depending on DNA sequencing information. It is crucial for the studies of taxonomy and biodiversity using DNA barcode technology to fast and accurately make species identification in the forests. According to the Encyclopedia of Earth, many wonderful and rare plants are destroyed. In the tropics and subtropics, numerous evergreen conifers are jeopardized. These plants grow in remote places of our planet, which are inaccessible. It merits referring to that Juniperus spp. an imperative part of Mediterranean arid and semi-arid biological communities. Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. macrocarpa is a rare woody species found in Jebel Al-Akhdar, Libya in only one peripheral site north-west Derna. A robust analysis presented based on using morphological traits of needles, seeds and cones, and DNA technology. Along these lines, jeopardized plant populations could be recognized more effectively. This study universality of tree species DNA barcodes. such as the rbcL and matK plastid markers, and examined their abilities of species identification. The morphological and genetic results strongly support the recognition of J. macrocarpa at the subspecies J. oxycedrus.

Geographic variation of Pinus heldreichii Christ from the Western Balkans based on cone and seed morphology

Pinus heldreichii (Bosnian pine) is a Balkan-Apennine endemic and relict pine species that inhabits high mountains in the Mediterranean and sub-Mediterranean regions. Nineteen populations of P. heldreichii from the Western Balkans encompassing 187 individual trees were examined to evaluate morphological variation, a rarely studied aspect of the species. Univariate and multivariate statistics were applied in order to assess the variation of morphological traits of cones and seeds, evaluate the relationships among the sampled populations and verify geographic differentiation in the Dinaric Alps versus Scardo-Pindic mountains. The observations of P. heldreichii covering the populations from the western margins and the centre of the species distribution range indicated a morphological variation among populations and their geographic structure. In general, the southern populations (Scardo-Pindic group) had lower values for the most of morphological traits than the northern ones (Dinaric group). The observed geographic differences between these populations exhibit a north-western to south-eastern gradient, with a few inconsistencies. The southernmost sampled population, Tomorr in Albania, showed remarkable morphological divergence from the other studied populations and appeared to be a distinct morphological group. The pattern of morphological variation in Bosnian pine most likely resulted from multiple effects of long-term isolation and fragmentation in high mountain systems, adaptation to extreme environments and human disturbances.

Phenotypic traits of berries and seeds of Sicilian grape cultivars (Vitis vinifera L.)

Grapevine is characterized by high variability in seed and berry morphology and their phenotypic traits are usually used to describe V. vinifera varieties. The goal of this study was to investigate the phenotypic diversity of berry and seed traits and the relationships between berry and seed morphological characteristics of autochthonous accessions of Sicilian germplasm.In two seasons, twenty bunches per cultivar were harvested at technological maturity. Berry weight; berry longitudinal and transversal diameters; seed number/weight per berry; and seed length, thickness, width and beak length were determined, after which the diameter ratio was calculated.Black and white cultivars showed large differences in berry weight; number and weight of seeds per berry; and berry and seed shape (Stummer’s index). Stummer’s index varied due to seed width variation, which was influenced by seed number. Nevertheless, Stummer’s index was used as a tool to discover the relationship between berry and seed shape in white cultivars. Seed and berry morphological characters are useful for describing and separating the Sicilian cultivars, which showed high variability – especially the white varieties.It is possible that less variability observed in seeds of black varieties could be due to artificial selection carried out in the past by humans, to improve the qualitative traits of berries, which could have an indirect influence on seed morphology. A better understanding of the phenotypic diversity of berry and seed traits and the relationship between berry and seed morphological characteristics of the autochthonous cultivar of Sicilian were achieved.

Desiccation, dormancy, and storage of Pterocarya fraxinifolia (Juglandaceae) seeds: application in Hyrcanian and Colchian forest conservation

Pterocarya fraxinifolia (Poir.) Spach (Juglandaceae) is a model relict tree species native to South Caucasus and is a typical element of threatened riparian forests. Intensive land transformations, which are common in Transcaucasia, have resulted in loss of natural habitat and population decline of the species. One of the methods of ex situ conservation is seed banking. Cryopreservation in liquid nitrogen (−196 °C) is of particular interest, as it allows safe preservation of valuable plant genetic resources. However, the feasibility of seed cryopreservation is related to the desiccation tolerance and intrinsic composition of the seeds. In this study, we examined the physiological traits of Pterocarya fraxinifolia seeds, for which desiccation tolerance is unknown or controversial, and their feasibility for cryopreservation. Additionally, we tested stratification methods for dormancy assessment. Results showed that seeds survived desiccation to a moisture content of 2.8% with a germination rate of 64%. Stratification at a temperature of 3 °C for 8 weeks proved to be both fast and effective. Seed moisture content ranging from 2.8% to 18.1% was determined to be safe for cryopreservation. There was no difference in seedling emergence in seeds stored for 1 year regardless of the storage temperature (−3, −18, or −196 °C). Based on our results, Pterocarya fraxinifolia seeds can be classified as orthodox. This study demonstrates for the first time the feasibility of cryopreserving Pterocarya fraxinifolia seeds.

Towards Improving the Vegetative and Qualitative Traits of Sunflower Using Amending Soil (Zeolite and Manure Farmyard) under Water Deficit Stress

ABSTRACTThe effect of different sources of nitrogen fertilizers (organic fertilizers and urea) and zeolite under different irrigation regime on the qualitative traits of sunflower seeds was investigated by a trial, in 2014 and 2015 in Iran with split factorial on a randomized complete block design with three replications. Main plots consisted of irrigation regimes (irrigation after unloading 40%, 60% and 80% of available soil water (ASW)). The sub-plots consisted of factorial combinations of three nitrogen fertilizer treatments (100% organic, integrated treatment and 100% chemical treatment) and three levels of zeolite (10, 5 and 0 ton ha−1). Farmyard manure and urea were the organic and chemical sources of nitrogen, respectively; integrated treatment included 50% organic +50% chemical nitrogen. The percentage of nitrogen required by urea was set in a way that 100% of the required nitrogen could be provided by urea. The maximum diameter and stems height as well as the performance of the oil and protein by application of zeolite were measured in terms of the lack of stress in the first and second year, respectively. In sum, it can be concluded that the severe water stress can reduce the percentage of unsaturated fatty acids. In the first year, oleic acid and linoleic acid were decreased by 22% and 7%, respectively; while in the second year, they were reduced by 27% and 6.8%. Stearic acid also declined in the first and second years by 50% and 52%, respectively. However, an increase was observed for palmitic acid of sunflower. In both years, the application of organic fertilizer increased linoleic acid and oleic and improved the quality of sunflower seed oil. Under favorable irrigation conditions, organic fertilizers could be advantageous; while organic fertilizers and zeolite can be helpful under drought stress conditions.

Various Methods of Assessing Sugar Beet Seed Vigour and Its Impact on the Germination Process, Field Emergence and Sugar Yield

During 2012–2015, the seed vigour of 54 commercial sugar beet varieties was evaluated. In addition, correlations among different methods of determining seed vigour and the potential impact of low vigour on the quality traits of seeds and root yield were investigated. The chosen seed vigour indicators were field emergence (early and final count), emergence course in a phytotron under controlled conditions (early and final count, mean time of emergence, emergence uniformity) and germination ability under stress conditions regarding substrate moisture and air temperature. The most effective vigour indicators were field and phytotron emergence (early count), mean time of emergence and germination ability under stress conditions. Final field and phytotron emergence constituted weak indicators of seed vigour. Low seed vigour decreased root yield by 3.2 t/ha (4.8%) compared to high seed vigour. Lower yields were caused by slower and less uniform field emergence.

Morphological variation of Libyan carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.)

Carob tree Ceratonia siliqua L., is an evergreen endemic species found naturally in El-Jabal El-Akhdar region which is located immediately south of the coastal belt in the northeastern region of Libya. Morphological characteristics have been the main descriptive tool to characterize a given collection or germplasm, or to identify and differentiate wild type populations. Eighteen carob population were collected from six different sites in El-Jabal El-Akhdar area. Seven characters on discriminative pods were measured: the length, width, thickness, number of seeds, weight of pulp, and yield as well as one character to seeds: the weight seeds. The present study showed that the choice of pod characters to assess Libyan carob diversity is a useful and powerful tool. The means and standard deviations of morphometric characters measured in Libyan carob showed highly significant differences among the studied populations for all the examined characteristics. Differences in morphometric traits of carob pods and seeds among Libyan carob populations are primarily caused by genetic factors. The pod size of Libyan carob is considered to be the medium size (10.89 – 17.55cm).

Qualitative analysis of pea (Pisum sativum) seeds procured from different sources and locations of district Haripur-Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Pakistan

This research was conducted in the District of Haripur (Haripur, Khanpur and Ghazi) to increase the yield of pea. Pea seeds were collected from three sources (Farmer, Dealer and Government Organization) from each location in order to investigate the yield traits. Mean values for yield traits of pea seeds were found to be, Embryo damaged Seed 0.77% to 3.31%, inert matter 0.02% to 5.06%, moisture level 7.43% to 6.05%, seed Germination 67% to 91.66%, insect affected seeds 15.33% to 4%, stones and dust particles 32.33% to 9%, viability 87.33% to 55.33%, other variety seed 1.34% to 0%, other crop seed 5.65% to 0% and seed purity (%) were 98.4% to 78.8% for pea seeds collected from haripur, khanpur and ghazi. Seeds collected from Khanpur region possess best seed quality traits. Overall; seed quality of Government organization possesses desirable seed quality and suggested to grow for better yield. Pea farmers of district Haripur should be trained to use lasted techniques of seed storage to minimize the economic losses caused due to inferior quality seeds. Keywords: Locations; Pea; Quality traits; Seed yield http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2019.80121

Genetically engineered rice with appA gene enhanced phosphorus and minerals

Phytic acid is the major source of phosphorus and other mineral bound compounds in many plant tissues especially seeds and bran of cereals. During germination, phytase enzyme degrades phytic acid and bound phosphate and minerals are released. The monogastric animal cannot digest phytate due to lack of the phytase enzyme. Considering that, we have generated low phytate rice by over expressing appA gene cloned from E. coli under the aleurone-specific promoter of maize zein gene. Molecular analysis confirmed the stable integration of transgene and plants were grown up to T3 generation. The T3 seeds showed around 45% decrease in seed phytate content with a fourfold increase of inorganic phosphorus (Pi) level. The enhanced iron and zinc was twofold and threefold respectively in polished seeds of transgenic plants. There was no change in germination behaviour and other morphological traits in transgenic seeds. Thus, this result provides evidence that tissue-specific expression of bacterial phytase can lead to the reduction of phytic acid in rice seeds without hampering its other physiological processes and phenotypic cost.

EFFECT OF AGROCLIMATE ON SEED AND SEEDLING TRAITS OF TREE BEAN (Parkia timoriana (DC) Merr.) IN NORTH EAST INDIA

Parkia timoriana (DC) Merr (popularly known as tree bean) is a leguminous tree species found distributed in several South-East Asian countries like Indonesia, Japan, Malayasia, Phillipines, Thailand, Vietname including the mid and foothills of eastern Himalayas. We identified the seed source of this species and grouped them into different agro climatic zones based on moisture index and precipitation. The resultant agroclimatic zones were analysed for significant influences on quantitative traits of seeds and seedlings of P. timoriana and their contribution to germination and growth. Analysis of variance showed significant variation (p humid > subhumid > perhumid. We recommend tree breeders to chose of P. timotiana from arid zone (MI = -20 to -60) for establishing seed orchard for optimum yield. Further, ARCGIS interpolation tool could be of use for predicting better seed source of this species in plantation programmes.

Rapid changes in seed dispersal traits may modify plant responses to global change.

When climatic or environmental conditions change, plant populations must either adapt to these new conditions, or track their niche via seed dispersal. Adaptation of plants to different abiotic environments has mostly been discussed with respect to physiological and demographic parameters that allow local persistence. However, rapid modifications in response to changing environmental conditions can also affect seed dispersal, both via plant traits and via their dispersal agents. Studying such changes empirically is challenging, due to the high variability in dispersal success, resulting from environmental heterogeneity, and substantial phenotypic variability of dispersal-related traits of seeds and their dispersers. The exact mechanisms that drive rapid changes are often not well understood, but the ecological implications of these processes are essential determinants of dispersal success, and deserve more attention from ecologists, especially in the context of adaptation to global change. We outline the evidence for rapid changes in seed dispersal traits by discussing variability due to plasticity or genetics broadly, and describe the specific traits and biological systems in which variability in dispersal is being studied, before discussing some of the potential underlying mechanisms. We then address future research needs and propose a simulation model that incorporates phenotypic plasticity in seed dispersal. We close with a call to action and encourage ecologists and biologist to embrace the challenge of better understanding rapid changes in seed dispersal and their consequences for the reaction of plant populations to global change.