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Differentiation in seed germination among populations of Capsicum annuum along a latitudinal gradient in Mexico

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Abstract

Toinvestigate variation in germination capability of wild Capsicumannuum seeds, the effects of light, fluctuating temperature,gibberellic acid (GA), soaking and sulfuric acid were analyzed in samples from14 populations from northwest Mexico. Germination was inhibited by darkness inall populations studied. Darkness inhibition of germination was overcome byfluctuating temperature and GA, factors which also increased germinationpercentage but not germination rate. Soaking treatments did not significantlyincrease germination of C. annuum seeds, while sulfuricacid treatments had negative effects on the process. Populations showed highvariation in germination response in all treatments, except for continuousdarkness. Principal component analysis differentiated some populations withhighgermination percentage and slow germination rate. Such differences did notcorrelate with climatic variables from collection sites. Given the variation ingermination patterns observed, some of these totally contrasting, we have to becautious when considering the results of studies based on a single wildpopulation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, Km 27, carretera Culiacán-El Dorado, Sinaloa, Mexico

    Sergio Hernández-Verdugo

  2. UNAM. Apdo., Instituto de Ecología, 04510, México, Mexico

    Ken Oyama & Carlos Vázquez-Yanes

Authors
  1. Sergio Hernández-Verdugo
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  2. Ken Oyama
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  3. Carlos Vázquez-Yanes
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Hernández-Verdugo, S., Oyama, K. & Vázquez-Yanes, C. Differentiation in seed germination among populations of Capsicum annuum along a latitudinal gradient in Mexico. Plant Ecology 155, 245–257 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013234100003

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