Dormancy breaking and germination of Prangos ferulaceae seeds

Abstract

The seed dormancy of Prangos ferulaceae (Apiaceae) has been studied with treatment the seeds by soaking, scarification, cold and warm stratification, alternating temperatures and GA3. Our results showed that the seeds dormancy can be broken by cold stratification at 5°C and 12°C which induced germination up to 35 and 40%, respectively. Alternating temperatures (15/6°C) promote germination only to 15%. Scarification, soaking, warm stratification and GA 3 had no significant effects on seed germination. It has been found that light inhibits seed germination and the seeds have a negative photoblasticity. It has also been shown that cold temperatures promote the growth of the undeveloped embryo of the plant. After 10 weeks stratification of the seeds at 5°C, the embryo length increased 200%. In conclusion, it is obvious that, the seeds of P. ferulaceae have morphophysiologic dormancy.