Patterns of Seed Size, Germination and Seed Viability of Tropical Tree Species in Southern India¹

Abstract

Seed weight, days to germination and seed viability were observed for 99 species growing in the Western Ghats of Karnataka, India. Seed size was strongly correlated with days to germination; smaller seeds germinated faster than larger seeds. Species which flowered during the rainy season had lighter seeds than species which flowered during the dry season. It was also found that seed size and viability of seeds were related to the season of fruiting. Species which fruit during the rainy season had heavier seeds and shorter viability than species which fruit during the dry season. These flowering and fruiting patterns and varying seed sizes are argued to be adaptations to the time of dispersal, time of moisture availability in the habitat and seedling survival.

Variation in Seed and Seedling Traits among Fifteen Chinese Provenances of Magnolia officinalis

“…Stem characters among provenances is due to resource availability at the time of fruiting and so to seed size. This in turn could be due to different environments at the geographic origins of each seed and seasonal variables (Murali, 1997). Loha et al (2009) also observed significant variation in seed size traits of Cordia Africana.…”

Seed Size Correlates with Germination Traits in Terminalia arjuna Genotypes

“…On the other hand, the energy potential of large seeds is considered to emerge better in most of the habitats (Stevenson et al, 2005). Large seeds show better germination parameter and establishment potential of seedlings as compared with medium and small seeds (Murali, 1997;Negi and Todaria, 1997;Khan and Shankar, 2001;Mwase and Mvula, 2011). Consideration of seed traits may be a useful aspect for propagation and conservation of valuable plants ( Khurana and Singh, 2001).…”

Germination and Relations between Seed Quality Characteristics for Acer pseudoplatanus and Acer pseudoplatanus ‘Atropurpureum’

“…Morphometric and physiological characteristics of seeds influence germination (Kastori, 1984). Variations in seed weight are positively correlated with variability of seeds (Murali, 1997;Stejskalova et al, 2014). There is a relationship between seed weight and germination, but it differs between species.…”