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| Summary
of a paper reporting work funded in part by the Australian Flora Foundation
The effects of heat, smoke, leaching, scarification, temperature and
NaCl salinity on the germination of Solanum centrale (the Australian
bush tomato) Summary Poor germination is considered a barrier to the horticultural development
of a commercially significant Australian native edible species, Solanum
centrale JM Black (bush tomato). Seed viability and the effects
of heat, smoke, soaking, leaching, temperature, scarification and NaCl
salinity on germination rates and percentages were investigated. Seed
dormancy is imposed by the seed coat; once scarified, germination of
two see lots approached the viability levels determined through tetrazolium
testing. Germination did not differ at temperatures of 12, 20 or 28°C,
indicating that there is no seasonal temperature preference . Soaking
and leaching promoted germination in one each out of five experiments,
while heat had no effect. Smoke enhanced the total germination of three
of the six provenances tested, once dormancy was broken by seed coat
scarification. The seeds showed considerable salinity tolerance, germinating
in solutions of up to 22mM NaCl, although 0 and 25mM NaCl produced
higher total germination. |