EFFECTS OF POPULATION, ENVIRONMENT AND THEIR INTERACTION ON SASKATOON BERRY (Amelanchier alnifolia Nutt.) SEED GERMINATION

Abstract

To determine the effects of population, environment and their interaction on the variability of seed germination, seeds of 27 random native Alberta populations of Saskatoon berry (Amelanchier alnifolia Nutt.) were collected over 3 yr. Each year the seeds were stratified at 3 °C for 84 d and then germinated at 25/10 °C light(16 h)/dark. Among the populations, mean seed germination after 4 wk ranged between 7 and 67%. Ecoregion and moisture condition at the site of origin did not significantly influence germinability. Of the total variance, 56% was contributed by population while the year and the population-year interaction contributed 0.3% and 17.5%, respectively. Over years the rank order of the populations was maintained. Three populations of diverse origin, grown in a common nursery, produced seeds with significantly different germination. Therefore, germination in A. alnifolia can largely be considered a genetically controlled character which is influenced to a limited extent by yearly environmental fluctuation.Key words: Saskatoon berry, Amelanchier alnifolia Nutt., germination, population-environment interaction