More than just a coating: Ecological importance, taxonomic occurrence and phylogenetic relationships of seed coat mucilage

Yang, Xuejun; Baskin, Jerry M.; Baskin, Carol C.; Huang, Zhenying

doi:10.1016/j.ppees.2012.09.002

Cited by 148 publications

(161 citation statements)

References 70 publications

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“…The adaptive value of seed mucilage also has prompted plant ecologists to propose a role in the long-distance dispersal as well as the local anchorage of seeds (Yang et al, 2012). The myxospermy of Ae.…”

Section: Morphology and Ecophysiology Of Dimorphic Seed Germination Dmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, it also may allow M + seeds to adhere to soil particles, a common mechanism for seed retention in dry habitats (Huang et al, 2000;Lu et al, 2010;Gutterman, 2012). Beyond dispersal, seed mucilage may promote seed germination through the attraction and retention of water surrounding the seed (Yang et al, 2012), protect against osmotic stress (Yang et al, 2010), assist the repair of embryo DNA damage (Yang et al, 2011), and promote early seedling growth as an adaptation to harsh desert environments (Yang et al, 2012). Mucilage produced by the scattered Ae.…”

Section: Morphology and Ecophysiology Of Dimorphic Seed Germination Dmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Developmental Control and Plasticity of Fruit and Seed Dimorphism in Aethionema arabicum

et al. 2016

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Understanding how plants cope with changing habitats is a timely and important topic in plant research. Phenotypic plasticity describes the capability of a genotype to produce different phenotypes when exposed to different environmental conditions. In contrast, the constant production of a set of distinct phenotypes by one genotype mediates bet hedging, a strategy that reduces the temporal variance in fitness at the expense of a lowered arithmetic mean fitness. Both phenomena are thought to represent important adaptation strategies to unstable environments. However, little is known about the underlying mechanisms of these phenomena, partly due to the lack of suitable model systems. We used phylogenetic and comparative analyses of fruit and seed anatomy, biomechanics, physiology, and environmental responses to study fruit and seed heteromorphism, a typical morphological basis of a bet-hedging strategy of plants, in the annual Brassicaceae species Aethionema arabicum. Our results indicate that heteromorphism evolved twice within the Aethionemeae, including once for the monophyletic annual Aethionema clade. The dimorphism of Ae. arabicum is associated with several anatomic, biomechanical, gene expression, and physiological differences between the fruit and seed morphs. However, fruit ratios and numbers change in response to different environmental conditions. Therefore, the life-history strategy of Ae. arabicum appears to be a blend of bet hedging and plasticity. Together with the available genomic resources, our results pave the way to use this species in future studies intended to unravel the molecular control of heteromorphism and plasticity.

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Section: Morphology and Ecophysiology Of Dimorphic Seed Germination Dmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Morphology and Ecophysiology Of Dimorphic Seed Germination Dmentioning

confidence: 99%

Developmental Control and Plasticity of Fruit and Seed Dimorphism in Aethionema arabicum

et al. 2016

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“…1,2 Biological functions of mucilage in plants include storage of water, assistance in seed germination, membrane thickening, etc. 1,2 More specialized role is observed in carnivorous plants, for instance, sundew (Drosera sp. ), where mucilage exudes are used to attract and capture prey via its dew-like appearance which are highly sticky in nature.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Slippery when sticky: Lubricating properties of thin films of Taxus baccata aril mucilage

et al. 2016

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Mucilage is hydrogel produced from succulent plants and microorganisms displaying unique adhesiveness and slipperiness simultaneously. The objective of this study is to establish an understanding on the lubricating mechanisms of the mucilage from Taxus baccata aril as thin, viscous lubricant films. Oscillation and flow rheological studies revealed that T. baccata mucilage is shear-thinning, thixotropic, and weak hydrogel that is highly stretchable under shear stress due to its high density physical crosslinking characteristics. In addition, T. baccata mucilage showed a distinct Weissenberg effect, i.e., increasing normal force with increasing shear rate, and thus it contributes to deplete the lubricant from tribological interfaces. Lubrication studies with a number of tribopairs with varying mechanical properties and surface wettability have shown that the lubricity of T. baccata mucilage is most effectively manifested at soft, hydrophilic, and rolling tribological contacts. Based on tenacious spreading on highly wetting surfaces, slip plane can be formed within mucilage hydrogel network even when the lubricating films cannot completely separate the opposing surfaces. Moreover, highly stretchable characteristics of mucilage under high shear enhance smooth shearing of two opposing surfaces as lubricating film.

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“…Many members of the Brassicaceae family exhibit a sticky mucilaginous seed coating when seeds are moistened (Morton & Hogg 1989). In some of the Brassicaceae family seed mucilage is a mechanism for external seed dispersal by animals, but more often it functions in other ways such as advancing seed maturation, maintaining dormancy, promoting seed hydration or improving seedling growth (Yang et al 2012). Norton et al (1997) speculated that seed mucilage may facilitate L. oleraceum dispersal through external seed attachment to seabirds.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seed dispersal but not seed germination facilitated by seabirds: seed ecology of Cook’s scurvy grass

Dale¹,

Lange²,

Burns³

2017

NZ J Ecol

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Lepidium oleraceum (Brassicaceae) is a threatened New Zealand plant closely associated with seabird colony environments. We hypothesise that this spatial coincidence arises from seabird dispersal of L. oleraceum seed and/or guano stimulating germination. To test the possibility of seabird epizoochory, we used laboratory studies to examine L. oleraceum seed adhesion and tolerance to seawater immersion. To test for stimulation of germination by guano we measured seed germination in increasing concentrations of seabird guano or inorganic fertiliser (to separate a nutrient effect from a possible effect from some other unknown constituent). Seeds developed a sticky mucilage layer after 50 seconds in freshwater and 50% were able to adhere to dry paper for over 24 months. A higher proportion of seeds germinated after soaking in freshwater (91% ± 3.1%) than seawater (44% ± 4.9%), and seawater germination was comparable to unsoaked controls (46% ± 3.1%).A comparison of germination rates under different concentrations of guano and fertiliser showed no significant differences associated with treatments except germination was inhibited above 1 gNL -1 . We conclude that seabirds are probable dispersers of L. oleraceum seed through external attachment, but germination is not promoted by guano presence.

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More than just a coating: Ecological importance, taxonomic occurrence and phylogenetic relationships of seed coat mucilage

Cited by 148 publications

References 70 publications

Developmental Control and Plasticity of Fruit and Seed Dimorphism in Aethionema arabicum

Developmental Control and Plasticity of Fruit and Seed Dimorphism in Aethionema arabicum

Slippery when sticky: Lubricating properties of thin films of Taxus baccata aril mucilage

Seed dispersal but not seed germination facilitated by seabirds: seed ecology of Cook’s scurvy grass

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