Dormancy and Viability in Acacia suaveolens (Sm) Willd

Abstract

Germination in A. suaveolens was controlled by a seed coat-linked innate dormancy, and scarification was successful in breaking this dormancy in the laboratory. The tetrazolium test was a useful indicator of potential germination capability. Such a baseline for germination is necessary before comparisons between different pre-germination treatments can be validly attempted both inter and intraspecifically. The onset of innate dormancy in the field occurs at the time of fruit ripening and most seeds are dispersed in a state of innate dormancy (96 � 0.5%). This level of dormancy and a correspondingly high level of viability (93.8 � 1.5%) are constant over time, space and plant age.