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Eyeing Emergence: Modified Treatments for Terminating Dormancy of Conifer Seeds

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Seed Dormancy

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 773))

Abstract

Many seeds of coniferous species display a deep primary dormancy at maturity and require several weeks of pretreatment to produce seed populations that germinate in a vigorous and timely manner. Facilitating an efficient transition from dormancy to germination by devising improved protocols for dormancy breakage is not only important to conifer seed research, aiding in the study of the dormancy process itself, but is also of interest and applicability to commercial forest nursery operations. In the forests of British Columbia, Canada, several conifer species are well-adapted to their environment, with seeds needing to experience long durations in the moist state at cool or fluctuating temperatures. These include yellow-cedar (Callitropsis nootkatensis), western white pine (Pinus monticola), and true fir species, such as Pacific silver fir and subalpine fir (Abies amabilis and A. lasiocarpa, respectively). In this chapter, we discuss the development of new dormancy-breaking protocols for the aforementioned species that centre on the balance of several key aspects: (1) reducing the time needed to terminate dormancy in the seed population; (2) synchronicity of germination; (3) ease of use; (4) cost-effectiveness; and (5) repeatability. Where possible, any new or modified protocol should be further tested in relationship to promoting rapid seedling growth in a forest nursery greenhouse setting and after planting at natural stands. Based on the five criteria listed above, very significant improvements compared to traditional dormancy-breaking methods have been achieved for the targeted conifer species. Where tested (e.g. yellow-cedar), the modified dormancy-breaking treatments result in vigorous growth in the greenhouse and after planting at natural stands.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful for funding from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Strategic grants 215298 and 258153 awarded to ARK. In addition, this research could not have been undertaken without assistance and in-kind contributions from the British Columbia Ministry of Forests and Range; many thanks are given to Dave Kolotelo, John Russell, Dean Christianson, Chris Monnon, Dean Stewart, Craig Wickland, and others at the Ministry for helping obtain the various seedlots used in our research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Biotechnology Institute, National Research Council of Canada, Saskatoon, SK, Canada

    J. Allan Feurtado

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada

    Allison R. Kermode

Authors
  1. J. Allan Feurtado
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  2. Allison R. Kermode
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Correspondence to J. Allan Feurtado .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser Unviersity, University Drive 8888, Burnaby, V5A 1S6, British Columbia, Canada

    Allison R. Kermode

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Feurtado, J.A., Kermode, A.R. (2011). Eyeing Emergence: Modified Treatments for Terminating Dormancy of Conifer Seeds. In: Kermode, A. (eds) Seed Dormancy. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 773. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-231-1_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-231-1_4

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-61779-230-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-61779-231-1

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