Seed Functional Traits Provide Support for Ecological Restoration and ex situ Conservation in the Threatened Amazon Ironstone Outcrop Flora

Seed germination and seedling development assisted by ultrasound: gaps and future research directions

Since the early 1930s, when the first corn hybrids were grown commercially, innovations in the agriculture industry have had an unprecedent impact worldwide, helping to meet the demands for food of an exponentially growing population. In particular, seed technology research has contributed substantially to the improvement of crop performance over the years. Ultrasonic treatment of seeds is a green technology that promises to have an impact on the food industry, enhancing germination and seedling development in different species through the stimulation of water and oxygen uptake and seed metabolism. The increase in starch degradation has been associated with the stimulation of the α-amylases of the endosperm, but relatively few reports focus on how ultrasound affects seed germination at the biochemical and molecular levels. For instance, the picture is still unclear regarding the impact of ultrasound on transcriptional reprogramming in seeds. The purpose of this review is to assess the literature on ultrasound seed treatment accurately and critically, ultimately aiming to encourage new scientific and technological breakthroughs with a real impact on worldwide agricultural production while promoting sustainable practices on biological systems. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Toward diverse seed sourcing to upscale ecological restoration in the Brazilian Cerrado

Seed markets are vital to scaling up ecosystem restoration in the Brazilian Cerrado, home of the world’s most species-rich grasslands and savannas. We compiled lists of species traded by four major Cerrado seed supply systems to investigate the representativeness of the species currently available for seed-based restoration. We also identified whether dominant ground-layer species are being sourced for seed production. Seeds from 263 Cerrado species can be purchased for restoration, of which 68% are trees, particularly legumes (24%). 63% of the traded species were found in only one seed supply system. The five most dominant graminoids of the Cerrado ground layer were available for sale, but two additional species uncommon in old-growth areas represented 44% of the sales of a key seed trader in Central Brazil. The expansion of Cerrado seed supply systems should be supported to further increase the number of species on the market. Sourcing seeds from a diversity of herbaceous species is central to facilitating the restoration of species-rich grasslands and savannas in the Cerrado. Recovering the diversity and functioning of old-growth open ecosystems through seeds will depend on increasing the supply and demand for species typical of Cerrado’s ground layer.

Methods of breaking physical dormancy in seeds of the invasive weed Mimosa pudica (Fabaceae) and a comparison with 36 other species in the genus

The herbaceous perennial legume Mimosa pudica is an invasive weed in many tropical and subtropical regions and a serious problem for farmers since it is difficult to eliminate from crop field by hand. Moreover, it has water impermeable seeds, i.e., physical dormancy (PY), which could persist in the soil seed bank for a long period of time, thus making it a big challenge to control. The aims of this study were to test the effect of various laboratory methods on breaking PY in seeds of M. pudica, to identify the site(s) of water entry into seeds of M. pudica and compare results of dormancy-breaking methods for seeds of M. pudica with those of 36 other species of Mimosa reported in the literature. Mechanical scarification, wet heat and cycles of wet heat and ice water effectively broke PY in seeds of M. pudica. Following wet heat at 80 °C for 10 min, water uptake was via the hilar region but not the pleurogram; small cracks made in the pleurogram by this treatment were not deep enough for water to enter the seed. Neither tolerance to summer temperatures nor PY is likely to be the cause of invasiveness of this species, since seeds of rare and endemic species of Mimosa also tolerate summer temperatures and have PY.

Differences in Ecological Traits between Plants Grown In Situ and Ex Situ and Implications for Conservation

Ex situ conservation plays an important role in maintaining global plant biodiversity and protects thousands of wild plants. Plant conservation in botanical gardens is an important part of ex situ conservation; however, little attention has been given to whether plant ecophysiological traits change and whether plant conservation goals are reached following ex situ conservation. In this study, tree and shrub plants were selected from Shanxi, Beijing of China and from Beijing Botanical Garden, and plants with good growth and similar ages were randomly selected to measure their light response curves, CO2 response curves with a portable photosynthesis system (Li-6400XT), relative chlorophyll contents using a chlorophyll meter (SPAD-502) and leaf water potential using a dew point water potential meter (WP4C). In comparison with cultivated plants, wild plants had higher water use efficiencies among all plants considered (by 92–337%) and greater light use efficiencies among some of plants considered (by 107–181%), while light response curves and CO2 response curves for wild plants were either higher or lower compared with cultivated plants. Ecological traits of wild and cultivated plants changed more as a result of habitat factors than due to plant factors. The initial slope of the light response curve, net photosynthetic rate at light saturation, light saturation point, maximum light energy utilization efficiency, maximum water use efficiency, leaf water content, and the leaf water potential of wild plants were larger or equal to those of cultivated plants, while dark respiration rate (by 63–583%) and light compensation point (by 150–607%) of cultivated plants were higher than those of wild plants. This research compared the ecophysiological traits of common green space plants cultivated in botanical gardens and distributed in different areas in wild environments. The response of plant ecophysiological traits to the changing environment has important theoretical and practical significance for wild plant conservation and urban green space system construction.

Conditional Seed Dormancy Helps Silene hicesiae Brullo & Signor. Overcome Stressful Mediterranean Summer Conditions

Investigations on seed biology and ecology are of major importance for the conservation of threatened plants, both providing baseline information and suggesting practical approaches. In our study, we focused on the germination behavior of Silene hicesiae Brullo & Signor., a narrow endemic species to Panarea and Alicudi (Aeolian Archipelago, Italy), as well as one of the 50 most threatened Mediterranean island plants. Specifically, the effects of temperature, light, seed age, seed source, and collection year were evaluated; in addition, threshold temperatures and thermal–time parameters were estimated. The thermal range for fresh seed germination resulted between 5 and 15 °C, reaching up to 20 and 25 °C at increasing seed age, with 30 °C being clearly beyond the ceiling temperature. This behavior indicates that fresh seeds exhibit the Type 1 non-deep physiological dormancy, and that germination is regulated by conditional dormancy. This dormancy syndrome emerged as a highly efficient adaptation strategy for this species and, together with thermo-inhibition, would allow seeds to counteract or take advantage of Mediterranean environmental conditions. The comparison between the wild Panarea population and the corresponding ex situ cultivated progeny has enabled the identification of the latter as a suitable seed source for sustainable in situ reinforcement actions, at least in the short-term; indeed, plant cultivation for a single generation did not produce significant modifications in the germination behavior of the offspring.