Seed viability and embryo decline in Geleznowia verrucosa Turcz. (Rutaceae)

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-1990

Journal Title

Scientia Horticulturae

ISSN

ISSN: 0304-4238, eISSN: 1879-1018

Keywords

Australian plant, excised embryo, Rutaceae, seed buoyancy, tetrazolium testing, viability testing

Disciplines

Agricultural Science | Agronomy and Crop Sciences | Botany | Plant Breeding and Genetics

Abstract

Geleznowia verrucosa Turcz. (Rutaceae) is a bush-collected cut flower which fails to reliably propagate from seed or cuttings. Tests were instigated to examine seed viability and changes in viability with seed age. The experiment tested the hypothesis that the topographical triphenyl tetrazolium chloride test (tetrazolium test) could be used to determine viability in G. verrucosa seed by comparing it with an excised-embryo test, and that seed buoyancy in water can be used as a rapid method for estimating viability. The triphenyl tetrazolium chloride test gave various pink-red staining reactions in excised embryos of G. verrucosa. Only particular staining reactions corresponded to vital embryos based on published information and embryo culture of excised embryos on agar medium. There was good correspondence between seed buoyancy in water and viability, showing that seed of G. verrucosa stored in sealed vessels at room temperature loses viability at a projected rate of 22–23% in the first year.

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Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-4238(90)90077-R