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Objective: To evaluate the effect of inoculation with the biofertilizer IHPLUS®BF on seed germination of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam) de Witt cv. Cunningham. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out at the Pastures and Forages Research Station Indio Hatuey, located in the Perico municipality, Matanzas province, Cuba. To study the germination response of seeds of L. leucocephala cv. Cunningham, an experiment was carried out with a completely randomized design with a 3 x 4 factorial arrangement. The treatments were formed by the combination of two factors: a) imbibition time and b) dilutions of IHPLUS®BF. Three different times (8, 10 and 28 h) were combined with four dilutions (2,5; 5; 10; 15 mL L-1), and a control: seeds with thermal scarification treatment (water at 80 °C for two minutes). Results: Germination kinetics maintained a similar performance in all treatments. The best response was obtained with the combination of the thermal scarification method, with 28 hours of imbibition at 10 days and 96 % germination. Germination potential, speed index, average germination time and time to reach maximum germination performed best when the bioproduct was used with doses of 2,5, 5, 10 and 15 %, imbibed for 28 hours. These doses did not show significant differences among themselves and had higher germination efficiency and a minimum of six days to reach maximum germination. Conclusions: The effectiveness of IHPLUS®BF during the germination process of L. leucocephala cv. Cunningham seeds was proven, being the best combination the use at 5 % for 28 hours with higher germination efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Seed manipulation by ants can play a key role in seed germination through two main behaviours: elaiosome detachment and seed scarification. Despite the fact that these behaviours are commonplace, their effects have only been quantified independently, and their consequences on seed germination remain controversial. 2. Here we experimentally investigate the effects of ant manipulation on seed germination, disentangling the contributions of these two ant behaviours to this process. To do so, under laboratory conditions, we studied the effects of seed manipulation by Acromyrmex subterraneus on germination of seeds from Mabea fistulifera, a myrmecochorous plant. We established six experimental treatments: (i) unmanipulated seeds; (ii) ant‐manipulated seeds with the elaiosome detached and scarified; (iii) ant‐manipulated seeds with the elaiosome detached and non‐scarified; (iv) hand‐manipulated seeds with the elaiosome remaining and scarified; (v) hand‐manipulated seeds with the elaiosome detached and scarified; and (vi) hand‐manipulated seeds with elaiosome detached and non‐scarified. 3. We found that both elaiosome detachment and seed scarification decreased seed germination rates. Moreover, there was no difference in germination rates whether the seeds were manipulated by researcher's hand or by ants, suggesting a lack of other ant‐manipulation effects on seeds. 4. The present study shows that manipulation by A. subterraneus can exert negative effects on germination of a myrmecochorous seed. Accordingly, we suggested that studies evaluating the benefits of myrmecochory for plants, based only on seed removal amount and distance, may be overestimating those benefits. Our results contribute to the understanding of the potential mechanisms influencing plant recruitment, especially for myrmecochorous plants inhabiting tropical forests. The effects of ant manipulation on seed germination were investigated experimentally, disentangling the contributions of elaiosome detachment and seed scarification to this process.Manipulation by Acromyrmex subterraneus ants negatively affects germination of Mabea fistulifera myrmecochorous seeds. It was found that both elaiosome detachment and seed scarification decreased seed germination rates.With regard to the independent effects of those behaviours, the study showed that scarification alone was responsible for the highest decrease in seed germination, followed by elaiosome detachment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to optimize nursery production of Retama sphaerocarpa (Fabaceae), an important shrub species characterized by a seed coat dormancy hindering germination, and used in the restoration of degraded arid and semi-arid areas. To assess the influence of scarification agents and mother plant effect on germination rate and seedling vigor, a germination test with fresh seed was performed in a germination chamber using a factorial design with two fixed factors (mother plant effect and scarification agent). Fresh seeds were scarified by sulphuric acid (96% concentration, 60 min) and hot water (80 °C, 30 sec) and their germination compared with untreated control seeds. Scarification of seeds using sulphuric acid has proven the best method to enhance germination of this species, achieving the highest germination rate (>79%) and the best vigor index. Differences between seed lots from different mother plants were statistically significant and could influence seed germination success. We suggest that effectiveness of hot water scarification method may be improved by additional time of seed immersion. Owing to its potential for use in land restoration, bioenergy production and ornamental purposes, increment of commercial demand of this species is expected in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piocho (Melia azedarach L.) seeds were scarified with H2SO4 at 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 min. and a control group, to evaluate germination days (%) and seedling/seed and purity (%). Two hundred seeds/treatment (four replications) were used. Emergency was similar (p> 0.05) among treatments: 42.90±3.40%. Purity and seeds/berry, averaged 74.30% and 3.47+0.92, respectively. Days to emergency were only different (p<0.05) at 0 (30.0+0.9 days) and 120 min. (23.0 +2.4 days). After 60 min., there was a reduction from 2.18 +0.1 berry seedlings emergency to 1.75 min. We conclude that immersion times affected the number and purity of seedlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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An evaluation was made of the germinative response of 20 legume accessions from different storage times, under inadequate humidity and temperature conditions, and subject to thermal and acid scarification treatments before seeding, with different temperatures of the substratum. Independently from the storage time, the moisture content of the seeds was lower than 15%. The seeds from the accessions with more than 12 years showed germination percentages lower than 10% for all the essayed planting treatments, except in Centrosema pubescens cv. CIAT 438, Crotalaria sp. cv. Derecha, Crotalaria spectabilis, Crotalaria brownii cv. 687, Macroptilium atropurpureum, Stylosanthes guianensis cv. CIAT 136 and Mimosa invisa. The other accessions showed different degrees of viability loss. The best germinative response occurred in Crotalaria sp. cv. Derecha, M. invisa and Indigofera sp., because they reached final germination percentages higher than 70% for, at least, one of the studied seeding thermoperiods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scorpiurus subvillosus L., wide spread in pastures of Mediterranean basin, is disappearing in the native pastures of the Hyblean plateau (Sicily, southern Italy), because of overgrazing and intensive management techniques. Moreover, it exhibits seed coat dormancy, which delays and reduces germination preventing its diffusion. This paper represents a first attempt in order to investigate changing in germination determined by storage time and temperature on seeds of two populations of S. subvillosus. Germination of S.␣subvillosus seeds was tested in relation to four storage time (30, 130, 200 and 360 days after harvest (DAH)), eight constant temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40°C) and two populations of different provenience (30 and 600 m above mean sea level). The experiments were conducted either on scarified and unscarified seeds. In S. subvillosus the failure of germination under favourable conditions must be attributed␣only to seed coat, since seed scarification enhanced germination percentage with values up to 100% at almost all tested temperatures. In both treatments, but with a grater incidence in unscarified, seed germination increased gradually as temperature raised, peaking at 20–25°C, then declined with further increases of temperatures. At 40°C no germination occurred. Storage time induced a softening effect, which is somewhat limited by the natural ageing of seeds occurring from about 6 months after harvest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]