Effects of Pre-Treatments on Seed Dormancy and Germination of Endemic Muscari bourgaei Baker

Abstract

M. bourgaei Baker is an endemic plant that grows in Türkiye. It has the potential to be an ornamental plant, so it is important to know its germination characteristics and seed morphological characteristics. We evaluated the effects of moist chilling (3 to 12 months) and application of gibberellic acid (GA3) (250 to 1000 mg/L−1) on seed germination under two different light regimes (light phase and dark phase) and four temperature regimes (20, 20/10, 25/15, and 15/10 °C). Seeds were collected from the subalpine belt of Mount Uludağ at an altitude between 2200 and 2300 m. M. bourgaei seeds were dormant and reached the highest germination percentage after 12 months of moist chilling. GA3 applications only have a limited effect on the breaking of dormancy in most cases. Maximum germination of 28 percent was obtained by the GA3 application of 1000 mg/L under dark phase with incubation at 15/10 °C. Scarification with sulfuric acid did not result in any germination. Seed germination of above 80 percent was obtained after 6 months of moist chilling and above 90 percent after 9 and 12 months of moist chilling. Intermediate physiological dormancy was determined as the type of dormancy. Our findings on seed germination and dormancy characteristics of M. bourgaei, which is an endemic alpine meadow plant, will contribute to the protection and development of the germplasm of this species.