Effects of storage conditions and presence of fruiting bracts on the germination of Atriplex halimus and Salsola vermiculata

Abstract

Two shrub species, Atriplex halimus L. and Salsola vermiculata L., are considered useful for rehabilitation of degraded rangelands in west Asia and north Africa. They can be established from direct seeding and are capable of self-sowing. In this study, seed storage at different temperatures and the influence of fruiting bracts on seed germination were examined for the two species during two seasons. Fruits (utricles) were stored at 20-22 degrees C (room temperature), 0 degrees C or -22 degrees C. Germination tests were carried out after 33, 56, 90, 152, 272 and 397 d in storage in the first season and after 44, 76, 104, 170, 288 and 412 d in the second season. Seeds were germinated in their fruiting bracts or after bract removal. Bract removal significantly improved seed germination of both shrubs regardless of storage temperature. For S. vermiculata the increase in germination was in the range of 1.3- to 14.7-fold compared with values for the intact fruit in Season 1 and 0.5 to 3.8 in Season 2. Similarly the ranges for A. halimus were 0.5- to 4.2-fold and 0.7- to 5.3-fold in the two seasons respectively. The effect of cold storage was greater on Salsola than on Atriplex. The reduction of the storage temperature from 21 degrees C to 0 degrees C and -22 degrees C increased the longevity of S. vermiculata seeds by 2.8-46.6 times in Season 1 and by 2.9-2.6 times in Season 2. There was little or no effect on the longevity of A. halimus. A leachate prepared by soaking fruiting bracts from S. vermiculata significantly depressed germination (p < 0.01), the effect being greater on Salsola seeds (20% reduction) than on Atriplex seeds (8% reduction). A leachate from A. halimus produced a slight but non-significant reduction in germination.