GERMINATION OF TREE-SEEDS. DORMANCY.

ISHS Acta Horticulturae 54: Symposium on Propagation in Arboriculture

GERMINATION OF TREE-SEEDS. DORMANCY.

Author:

I. Nyholm

Abstract:
It is well known that it is more difficult to germinate seeds of perennial plants than annual plants, and among these the tree-seeds form a special group, which gives the nurseryman and the scientist great problems.

To make a seed germinate it must be placed under convenient germination conditions: Water, proper temperature, light and air. Germination in seed plants may be defined as the sequential series of morphogenetic events that result in transformation of an embryo into a seedling and can be described as follows:

The seeds absorb water.
The seeds produce small quantities of gibberellic acid.
The GA diffunds into the aleuron cells and induces a formation of enzymes.
The enzymes penetrate the endosperm (or cotyledons) and split the starch into soluble carbo-hydrates which are used as energy for the embryo-development.

Most seeds of Picea and Pinus species will germinate very quickly under convenient germination conditions, while seeds of Abies species and many broad-leafed trees often fail to germinate or develop very sluggishly.

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