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Germination of Cistus ladanifer seeds in relation to parent material

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Abstract

Variability in seed germination behaviour of Cistus ladanifer L. (rockrose), a Cistaceous species widely distributed in the Mediterranean Basin, was studied in a central Spanish population under controlled conditions. No correlation between seed moisture content and germination was found. Great variability in germination was found among seeds of the population studied, not only between seeds belonging to different mother plants, but also between those collected from different capsules on the same plant. In most cases, seeds preheated at 100 °C for 30 minutes showed a significant increase in germination. This germination behaviour is related to fire regimes as this plant is a typical shrubby element of the mediterranean shrublands. Percent germination did not vary significantly after several months of seed storage at room temperature. In the same way, no difference was found in final germination percentage of seeds stored under room temperature vs. seeds stored under cold conditions.

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  1. Departamento de Biología Vegetal, Escuela Universitaria de Ingenieria Técnica Agrícola, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Félix Pérez-García

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  1. Félix Pérez-García
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Pérez-García, F. Germination of Cistus ladanifer seeds in relation to parent material. Plant Ecology 133, 57–62 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009776910683

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