Smoke Enhanced Seed Germination for Mine Rehabilitation in the Southwest of Western Australia

Abstract

Cool smoke treatments were applied to unmined Eucalyptus marginata (jarrah) forest soils, rehabilitated bauxite mine soils, and broadcast seed to determine if enhancement in germination could be effected with a view toward maximizng the establishment of species in bauxite mines in Western Australia. Forest sites showed a 48‐fold increase in total germinants from the soil seed bank when treated with aerosol smoke. Newly returned bauxite mine soils showed a greater than threefold increase in total germinants after the same treatment. There were also significant increases in the number of species germinating in response to the aerosol smoke treatment in both the forest and the mined soils. Similarly, application of smoked water to the soil seed bank in previously mined sites elicited a significant positive germination response, increasing total germinants and species numbers by 56 and 33%, respectively. Treatment of mixed seed lots with aerosol smoke before broadcast resulted in highly significant improvement in germination when compared to untreated seed. Both total number of germinants, and number of species emerging from mined sites were positively influenced (85% and 34% increases, respectively). Ten target species were used to determine the relative effectiveness of different methods of smoke treatment on the germination of broadcast seed. Nine of the species involved displayed a promotive effect with at least two of the treatments. Generally, however, aerosol smoking of seed before broadcast proved to be the more effective approach. As a result of these findings, all broadcast seed for use in Alcoa's bauxite mined areas in the southwest of Western Australia is now routinely smoke treated before application.

Fire cue effects on seed germination of six species of northwestern Patagonian grasslands

“…Smoke at high concentrations or for long periods of exposure can be toxic (Dixon et al, 1995;Baldwin et al, 1994). As an example of this, more than 60 min of smoke application directly onto seeds inhibited the seed germination of Australian species (Roche et al, 1997). In contrast, combined heat and smoke increased the germination of B. gracilis seeds, although the exposition to heat inhibited it.…”

Specialisation within the DWARF14 protein family confers distinct responses to karrikins and strigolactones in Arabidopsis

“…Many species exhibit physiological seed dormancy, which limits germination under favourable but transient environmental conditions that may not support long-term survival (Finkelstein et al, 2008). Wildfires present a brief opportunity for plants to exploit reduced competition for light, water and nutrients, and the dormant seed of a wide taxonomic range of species exhibit enhanced germination following smoke exposure (Roche et al, 1997;Chiwocha et al, 2009). The butenolide 3-methyl-2H-furo [2,3-c]pyran-2-one, or KAR 1 , was identified in smoke as a bioactive compound that defines a family of related molecules known as karrikins (Flematti et al, 2004).…”

Formation of a Seed Germination Promoter from Carbohydrates and Amino Acids

“…‡ University of Stellenbosch. servation (9,10). The chemical identity of the germination cue has recently been characterized as 3-methyl-2H-furo[2,3-c]-pyran-2-one ( Figure 1) from burned cellulose (11) and plantderived smoke (12).…”