The effect of shock loading on the survival of plant seeds

The effect of hydrostatic vs. shock pressure treatment of plant seeds

“…This was seen in previous experiments studying the effects of shockwaves on cress seeds [6], but this work also extends the 0.8 GPa cut-off pressure to lettuce seeds (as shown in figure 4). It is postulated that this could be due to denaturing of enzymes within the seed sample, as many of the seed coats were still intact.…”

“…As a result, there is some published work investigating the ability of plant seeds to survive high dynamic pressure treatment, although the variety of samples tested is very limited. The present authors have previously published data regarding the ability of Lepidium sativum (cress) to survive dynamic pressures [6]. This study concluded that cress seeds do not have the ability to survive shockwave treatment with peak shock pressures (PSP) over ∼ 0.8 GPa.…”

“…For dynamic experiments, plant seeds were shock loaded using the plate impact technique and a 50 mm bore, 5 m barrel single stage gas gun. Samples were held in a gelatine support medium (Cooking gelatine, Dr Oetker UK Ltd.), set inside an Al shock-recovery capsule (see figure 1), which has been employed previously to study the shock response of porcine muscle tissue [8] and to test the survivability of plant seeds to shock loading [6]. Dynamic experiments saw projectiles (5 mm thick Al flyer plates) accelerated to velocities of 200 -400 ms −1 , corresponding to peak sample pressures of 0.3 -0.9 GPa.…”

Survival of fossilised diatoms and forams in hypervelocity impacts with peak shock pressures in the 1–19 GPa range

“…Burchell et al, 2004, Stöffler et al, 2007, Horneck et al, 2008, and Price et al, 2013. By contrast, similar experiments have shown that seeds are less hardy, and suffer extensive damage even in shocks around 1 GPa (Jerling et al 2008, Leighs et al, 2012.…”

Survival of Organic Materials in Hypervelocity Impacts of Ice on Sand, Ice, and Water in the Laboratory

“…Subsequently, LeVoci et al (2009) reported that in similar experiments they were able to start germination of a seed after it had been fired into water at 1 km s -1 (roughly 1 GPa peak shock pressure), although they also confirmed the onset of seed fragmentation in most seeds used in impacts at this speed. Separately, in shock experiments, Leighs et al (2012) showed that, at shock pressures approaching 1 GPa, seeds fragment and so are unlikely to survive impacts involving such shocks.…”