Abstract
The increasing importance of rocket Erucaspp. as a leaf and oil crop, and especially as a Fourth Generationvegetable, calls for a better understanding of several basic aspectsof its biology. Knowledge on seed germination behaviour is necessaryto optimize the management of the plant in the field and inseedbanks. Seed germination of several samples of rocket was assayedin the laboratory under different incubation conditions. Germinationin the two studied populations was fairly high, ranging from68% to 96%. However, remarkable variation was foundwithin one of them according to the date of collection of the sample,ranging from 78–96% for those collected in summer(LG1 and LG2) to 21–29% for that collected inautumn (LG3). Neither time of storage nor GA3treatments had any significant effect on this low percentage, whichcould only be significantly improved with scarification, up to47% by dry heat and up to 66% by immersion in liquidnitrogen. Dormancy and low seed viability probably originating fromeffects of environmental factors during seed formation and maturationseem to play a role in the low germination percentage of sampleLG3.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alexander H.M. and Wulff R. 1985. Experimental ecological genetics in Plantago. X. The effects of maternal temperatures on seed and seedling characteres in Plantago lanceolata. Journal of Ecology 3: 219–234.
Baskin J.M. and Baskin C.C. 1995. Variation in the annual dormancy cycle in buried seeds of the weedy winter annual Viola arvensis. Weed Research 35: 353–362.
Baskin C.C. and Baskin J.M. 1998. Types of Seed Dormancy. In: Baskin C.C. and Baskin J.M. (eds), Seeds: Ecology, Biogeography, and Evolution of Dormancy and Germination. Academic Press, New York, pp. 27–47.
Bewley J.D. and Black M. 1994. Seeds: Psysiology of Development and Germination. Plenum Press, New York & London.
Bhandari D.C. and Chandel K.P.S. 1997. Status of rocket germ plasm in India: research accomplishments and priorities. In: Padulosi S. and Pignone D. (eds), Rocket: a Mediterranean crop for the world. Report of a workshop, 13–14 December 1996, Legnaro (Padova), Italy. International Plant Genetic Resource Institute, Rome, Italy, pp. 67–75.
Chin H.F. 1994. Seedbanks: conserving the past for the future. Seed Science and Technology 22: 385–400.
Corbineau F. and Côme D. 1995. Control of Seed Germination and Dormancy by the Gaseous Environment. In: Kigel J. and Galili G. (eds), Seed Development and Germination. Marcel Dekker Inc., New York, pp. 397–424.
Corral R., Pita J.M. and Péírez-Garca F. 1990. Some aspects of seed germination in four species of Cistus L. Seed Science and Technology 18: 321–325.
Datta S.C., Gutterman Y. and Evenari M. 1972. The influence of the origin of the mother plant on yield and germination of their caryopses in Aegilops ovata. Planta 105: 155–164.
Ellis R.H., Hong T.D., Martín M.C., Perez-García F. and Gómez-Campo C. 1993. The long term storage of seeds of seventeen crucifers at very low moisture content. Plant Varieties and Seeds 6: 75–81.
Esiyok D. 1997. Marketing and utilization of rocket in Turkey. In: Padulosi S. and Pignone D. (eds), Rocket: a Mediterranean crop for the world. Report of a workshop, 13–14 December 1996, Legnaro (Padova), Italy. International Plant Genetic Resource Institute, Rome, Italy, pp. 86–90.
Fenner M. 1992. Environmental influences on seed size and composition. Horticultural Review 13: 183–213.
Gomez-Campo C. 1995. An introduction to the diversity of rocket (Eruca and Diplotaxis) species and their natural occurrence within the Mediterranean region. In: Padulosi B. (ed.), The Rocket Genetic Resources Network. Report of the First Meeting, 13–15 November 1994, Lisbon, Portugal. International Plant Genetic Resource Institute, Rome, Italy, pp. 20–21.
Gutterman Y. 1992a. Maturation dates affecting the germinability of Lactuca serriola L. achenes collected from a natural population in the Negev highlands. Germination under constant temperatures. Journal of Arid Environment 22: 353–362.
Gutterman Y. 1992b. Maternal effects on seeds during seed development. In: Fenner M. (ed.), Seeds: The Ecology of Regeneration in Plant Communities. CAB International, Wallingford, pp. 27–59.
Gutterman Y. 1994. Germinability under natural temperatures of Lactuca serriola L. achenes matured and collected on different dates from a natural populations in the Negev Desert highlands. Journal of Arid Environment 28: 117–127.
Hume L. 1994. Maternal environment effects on plant growth and germination of two strains of Thlaspi arvense L. International Journal of Plant Science 155: 180–186.
Martínez-Laborde J.B., Pita J.M. and Perez-García F. 1998. Seed germination and cryopreservation of rocket, Eruca vesicaria (L.) Cav. (Cruciferae). Plant Genetic Resources Newsletter 114: 47–48.
Oswal M.C. and Sharma J.C. 1975. Effect of different presoaking treatments and different day times of sowing on germination of gram (Cicer arietinum) and taramira (Eruca sativa). Indian Journal of Agricultural Research 9: 187–191.
Padulosi S. 1995. The Rocket Genetic Resources Network. Report of the First Meeting, 13–15 November 1994, Lisbon, Portugal. International Plant Genetic Resource Institute, Rome, Italy.
Padulosi S. and Pignone D. 1997. Rocket: a Mediterranean crop for the world. Report of a workshop, 13–14 December 1996, Legnaro (Padova), Italy. International Plant Genetic Resource Institute, Rome, Italy.
Perez-García F. 1997. Germination of Cistus ladanifer seeds in relation to parent material. Plant Ecology 133: 57–62.
Pignone D. 1997. Present status of rocket genetic resources and conservation activities. In: Padulosi S. and Pignone D. (eds), Rocket: a Mediterranean crop for the world. Report of a workshop, 13–14 December 1996, Legnaro (Padova), Italy. International Plant Genetic Resource Institute, Rome, Italy, pp. 2–12.
Pimpini F. and Enzo M. 1997. Present status and prospects for rocket cultivation in the Veneto region. In: Padulosi S. and Pignone D. (eds), Rocket: a Mediterranean crop for the world. Report of a workshop, 13–14 December 1996, Legnaro (Padova), Italy. International Plant Genetic Resource Institute, Rome, Italy, pp. 51–66.
Potvin C. and Charest C. 1991. Maternal effects of temperature on metabolism in the C weed Echinochloa crusgalii. Ecology 72: 4 1973–1979.
Roach D.A. and Wulff R. 1987. Maternal effects in plants. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 18: 209–235.
Silva-Días J.C. 1997. Rocket in Portugal: botany, cultivation, uses and potential. In: Padulosi S. and Pignone D. (eds), Rocket: a Mediterranean crop for the world. Report of a workshop, 13–14 December 1996, Legnaro (Padova), Italy. International Plant Genetic Resource Institute, Rome, Italy, pp. 81–85.
Thanos C.A., Georghiou K., Kadis C. and Pantazi C. 1992. Cistaceae:a plant family with hard seeds. Israel Journal of Botany 41: 251–263.
Valbuena M.L., Tarrega R. and Luis E. 1992. Influence of heat on seed germination of Cistus laurifolius and C. ladanifer. Journal of Widland Fire 2: 15–20.
Wulff R.D. 1995. Environmental Maternal Effects on Seed Quality and Germination. In: Kigel J. and Galili G. (eds), Seed Development and Germination. Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, pp. 491–505.
Wulff R.D. and Bazzaz F.A. 1992. Effect of parental nutrient regime on growth of the progeny in Abutilon teophrasti (Malvaceae). American Journal of Botany 79: 1102–1107.
Yaniv Z. 1997. Traditions, uses and research on rocket in Israel. In: Padulosi S. and Pignone D. (eds), Rocket: a Mediterranean crop for the world. Report of a workshop, 13–14 December 1996, Legnaro (Padova), Italy. International Plant Genetic Resource Institute, Rome, Italy, pp. 76–80.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pita Villamil, J., Pérez-García, F. & Martínez-Laborde, J. Time of seed collection and germination in rocket, Erucavesicaria (L.) Cav. (Brassicaceae). Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution 49, 47–51 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013875614186
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013875614186