Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (10)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Wang, B. S. P.
Right arrow Articles by Berjak, P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Wang, B. S. P.
Right arrow Articles by Berjak, P.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Wang, B. S. P.
Right arrow Articles by Berjak, P.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Annals of Botany 86: 29-36, 2000
© 2000 Annals of Botany Company

Beneficial Effects of Moist Chilling on the Seeds of Black Spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] B.S.P.)

B. S. P. Wang and Patricia Berjak+

Petawawa Research Forest, Natural Resources Canada, Chalk River, ON, Canada Plant Cell Biology Research Unit, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Natal, Durban, 4041, South Africa

Received: 23 November 1999 ; Returned for revision: 11 January 2000 . Accepted: 3 March 2000

Moist chilling (cold stratification) is well-known as a simple and effective means of overcoming physiological seed dormancy and enhancing germination of many temperate tree and shrub species. However, the apparent activation of intracellular repair mechanisms in non-dormant black spruce (Picea mariana) seeds following moist chilling, has not previously been reported. The present contribution records the beneficial effects of moist chilling after accelerated ageing (40°C/98% relative humidity) for 3–10 d of black spruce seeds. This treatment was maximally effective after 7 d of accelerated ageing, increasing germination from 43 to 61%. Ultrastructural examination of embryo cells indicated that intracellular activation occurred during moist chilling even when seeds had not been subjected to accelerated ageing, and that the increasing levels of damage accumulating over the 3–7 d period of ageing were substantially reversed during subsequent moist chilling. The results of cold stratification of non-dormant seeds are discussed in terms of the value of this practice in nursery seedling production from seeds that are of less than the highest quality.Copyright 2000 Annals of Botany Company

Accelerated ageing, black spruce, cold stratification, embryonic axes, germination, moist chilling, Picea mariana, repair mechanisms, ultrastructure


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.