Skip to main content
Plant Physiology logoLink to Plant Physiology
. 1987 Dec;85(4):879–884. doi: 10.1104/pp.85.4.879

Photoinduced Seed Germination of Oenothera biennis L

I. General Characteristics

Peter A Ensminger 1,1, Hiroshi Ikuma 1
PMCID: PMC1054362  PMID: 16665824

Abstract

General characteristics of light-induced germination of Oenothera biennis L. seeds were investigated at 24°C. During dark imbibition, seeds reached maximal respiration in 7 hours and maximal water content and photosensitivity in 24 hours. After dark imbibition of 24 hours, seeds required a long exposure (>36 hours) to red or white light for maximal germination. Two photoperiods (12 and 2 hours) separated by a period of darkness of 10 to 16 hours gave near maximal germination. For the two photoperiod regime, the first light potentiates a reversible phytochrome response by the second light. A 35°C treatment for 2 to 3 hours in the dark immediately prior or subsequent to 8 hours of light caused a higher percentage of germination. A 2 hour treatment at 35°C also potentiates a reversible phytochrome response. Halved seeds germinated at 100% in light or darkness indicating that the light requirement of the seeds is lost in the halving procedure. After-ripened seeds required less light and germinated more rapidly and at higher percentages than seeds tested shortly after maturation.

Full text

PDF
882

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Borthwick H. A., Hendricks S. B., Parker M. W., Toole E. H., Toole V. K. A Reversible Photoreaction Controlling Seed Germination. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1952 Aug;38(8):662–666. doi: 10.1073/pnas.38.8.662. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Ikuma H., Thimann K. V. Analysis of Germination Processes of Lettuce Seed by Means of Temperature and Anaerobiosis. Plant Physiol. 1964 Sep;39(5):756–767. doi: 10.1104/pp.39.5.756. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Scheibe J., Lang A. Lettuce Seed Germination: Evidence for a Reversible Light-Induced Increase in Growth Potential and for Phytochrome Mediation of the Low Temperature Effect. Plant Physiol. 1965 May;40(3):485–492. doi: 10.1104/pp.40.3.485. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Taylorson R. B., Hendricks S. B. Interactions of light and a temperature shift on seed germination. Plant Physiol. 1972 Feb;49(2):127–130. doi: 10.1104/pp.49.2.127. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Taylorson R. B., Hendricks S. B. Phytochrome Control of Germination of Rumex crispus L. Seeds Induced by Temperature Shifts. Plant Physiol. 1972 Dec;50(6):645–648. doi: 10.1104/pp.50.6.645. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Plant Physiology are provided here courtesy of Oxford University Press

RESOURCES