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Seed germination and survival of the endangered psammophilous Rouya polygama (Apiaceae) in different light, temperature and NaCl conditions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 September 2014

Andrea Santo ,
Efisio Mattana ,
Laetitia Hugot ,
Paula Spinosi  and
Gianluigi Bacchetta
Andrea Santo*
Affiliation:
Centro Conservazione Biodiversità (CCB), Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, V.le S. Ignazio da Laconi 11-13, 09123, Cagliari, Italy
Efisio Mattana
Affiliation:
Centro Conservazione Biodiversità (CCB), Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, V.le S. Ignazio da Laconi 11-13, 09123, Cagliari, Italy Seed Conservation Department, Royal Botanic Gardens of Kew, UK
Laetitia Hugot
Affiliation:
Conservatoire Botanique National de Corse, Office de l'Environnement de la Corse, 14, Avenue Jean Nicoli, 20250, Corte, Corsica, France
Paula Spinosi
Affiliation:
Conservatoire Botanique National de Corse, Office de l'Environnement de la Corse, 14, Avenue Jean Nicoli, 20250, Corte, Corsica, France
Gianluigi Bacchetta
Affiliation:
Centro Conservazione Biodiversità (CCB), Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, V.le S. Ignazio da Laconi 11-13, 09123, Cagliari, Italy
*
*Correspondence Fax: +39 070 6753509 E-mail: andreasanto85@gmail.com
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Abstract

Rouya polygama (Apiaceae) is an endangered Mediterranean species of great phytogeographical and ecological interest, growing on coastal sandy dunes. Intraspecific variability in the responses to constant temperatures (5–25°C) and an alternating temperature regime (25/10°C), salt stress (0–600 mM NaCl) and recovery of seed germination was evaluated among six populations from Sardinia and Corsica. Seeds were non-dormant and germination percentages ranged from 10 to 83%, depending on temperature and population. Differences in germination percentages were mainly due to different seed mortality among seed lots. R. polygama seeds germinated in salt concentrations up to 200 mM NaCl, whereas higher salt concentrations totally inhibited germination. Salt affected seed viability, and the recovery response decreased with increasing salinity and temperature. Inter-population variability and different sensitivity to NaCl in seed germination were detected. Our results are consistent with field germination in a period from autumn to spring, when water is available in the soil and temperatures are not prohibitive for seedling establishment, representing an advantageous ecological adaptation for seedling establishment to the unpredictable Mediterranean rainfall pattern. Further studies on R. polygama are needed to investigate germination requirements at temperatures higher than 25°C and its germination in the field, and to clarify genetic inter-population variability, considering a higher number of populations and possibly extending to North African populations.

Keywords

inter-population variabilityMediterranean vascular florapsammophyterecoverysandy dunessodium chloride
Type
Research Papers
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 24 , Issue 4 , December 2014 , pp. 331 - 339
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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