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Post-Dispersal Seed Behavior: Dormancy, Germination, Viability, and Mortality
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Post-Dispersal Seed Behavior: Dormancy, Germination, Viability, and Mortality

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Development and Morphogenesis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 3706

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Leonid Rasran

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Botany, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
Interests: Plant population biology; Dispersal ecology; Biodiversity; Grassland restoration
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The journal Plants will be publishing a Special Issue on plant seed behavior directly after the dispersal. The next step in the plant population biology after seed release and transport is the germination and early establishment of seedlings. Success of this step is highly dependent on the phenology, previous pathway of diaspores (e.g. digestion, burial under anoxic conditions) and further adaptations (functional traits). Ability to induce and break primary and secondary dormancy or to withstand mechanical and chemical stress are crucial for the germination and early establishment of plant individuals under specific environmental conditions. Of special interest thereby are plants, well adapted to long-distance transport with high level of physical stress and to the dynamic sites narrow time interval suitable for establishment. To this category belong, among others, arable weeds, mudbank species of temporary water bodies, coastal or inland salt marshes. There are several good reasons, why the germination behavior of these species should be studied in details. Concerning some weeds and invasive species this knowledge can be important for effective non-chemical control. On the other hand – various rare species of (in general) vulnerable habitats can be supported by conservation management, which includes the creation of suitable germination conditions for target species. Use of ex-situ collected seeds or seed-containing plant material for re-establishment of wild populations also includes transport and (unavoidable) interim storage, so that usefulness of management measures is strongly dependent on the appropriate conditions for seeds to be able to germinate after the storage and within the gap of (created) suitable framework. 

Dr. Leonid Rasran
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • storage
  • temperature
  • light
  • functional plant traits
  • plant propagules
  • reproductive traits

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 1709 KiB  
Article
Biochemical and Physiological Performance of Seeds of Pentaclethra macroloba (Willd.) Kuntz (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae) at Different Phases of Maturation
by Olívia Domingues Ribeiro, Reynaldo Azevedo Santos, Mário Augusto Gonçalves Jardim, Jaisielle Kelem França Benjamim, Thiara Luana Mamoré Rodrigues Hirosue, Eloisa Helena de Aguiar Andrade, Mozaniel Santana de Oliveira and Ely Simone Cajueiro Gurgel
Plants 2025, 14(7), 1112; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14071112 - 2 Apr 2025
Viewed by 378
Abstract
Determining the optimal harvest time for Pentaclethra macroloba seeds is essential to preserve germination potential and ensure high-quality oil production, valued in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. This study aimed to identify the maturation phase that maximizes seed physiological quality and oil yield. [...] Read more.
Determining the optimal harvest time for Pentaclethra macroloba seeds is essential to preserve germination potential and ensure high-quality oil production, valued in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. This study aimed to identify the maturation phase that maximizes seed physiological quality and oil yield. Fruits and seeds were collected from 44 mother plants in Belém and São Domingos do Capim, Brazil, during three final maturation phases: P1 (dark green pericarp, beige seeds), P2 (yellowish-green pericarp, light-brown seeds), and P3 (black pericarp, dark brown seeds). Germination, vigor tests, and gas chromatography analyses revealed that seeds from P3 exhibited the highest vigor (93–99% germination) and oil yield (up to 13.1%). Major fatty acids were oleic (up to 65.23%), linoleic (up to 8.45%), and behenic acids (up to 17.22%). The ripening period ranged from 7 to 8 months, influenced by environmental factors. Optimal seed quality and oil yield are achieved when harvesting occurs before dispersal, targeting fruits with yellowish-green pericarp transitioning to black. Post-harvest drying enhances oil extraction efficiency. These findings support the conservation of P. macroloba through viable seeds and promote economic sustainability by optimizing oil production, benefiting biodiversity and local extractive communities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Post-Dispersal Seed Behavior: Dormancy, Germination, Viability, and Mortality)
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17 pages, 5233 KiB  
Article
Effect of Temperature and Covering Structures in Seed Dormancy and Germination Traits of Manchurian Striped Maple (Acer tegmentosum Maxim.) Native to Northeast Asia
by Sieun Kim, Chung Ho Ko, Hak Cheol Kwon, Yong Ha Rhie and Seung Youn Lee
Plants 2025, 14(5), 767; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14050767 - 2 Mar 2025
Viewed by 608
Abstract
Acer tegmentosum, an indigenous medicinal plant under threat from overexploitation, is a deciduous tree species native to Northeast China, southern regions of the Russian Far East, and Korea. In this study, we analyzed the characteristics of samaras (single-seeded fruit) of A. tegmentosum [...] Read more.
Acer tegmentosum, an indigenous medicinal plant under threat from overexploitation, is a deciduous tree species native to Northeast China, southern regions of the Russian Far East, and Korea. In this study, we analyzed the characteristics of samaras (single-seeded fruit) of A. tegmentosum to determine the type of seed dormancy as well as to identify the factors responsible for dormancy release. We identified the seed dormancy to be that of deep physiological dormancy (PD). PD can be combined with mechanical resistance of the seed coat, which limits the protrusion of the radicle during germination. We observed that mechanical resistance exhibited by the water-permeable testa is associated with PD of A. tegmentosum. This was previously attributed to seed dormancy in Acer as testa-imposed dormancy or embryo dormancy. In A. tegmentosum, PD and mechanical resistance of the testa were overcome through cold stratification treatment at 1 and 4 °C, which was similar to winter duration under natural conditions. The pericarp of samaras facilitated germination at an early spring temperature (15/6 °C) after cold stratification at 1 and 4 °C, enabling the seedling survival of A. tegmentosum. We concluded that the covering structures composed of testa and pericarp in A. tegmentosum play vital roles in dormancy release and subsequent seed germination; they respond to external environmental cues based on the climatic conditions of Northeast Asia. This adaptation probably determines their behavior at an early life stage in response to environmental factors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Post-Dispersal Seed Behavior: Dormancy, Germination, Viability, and Mortality)
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15 pages, 3244 KiB  
Article
Diaspore Dimorphism, Awn Hygroscopicity and Adaptive Significance in a Winter Annual Bromus tectorum (Poaceae)
by Jiayue Yan, Qian Li and Bo Zhang
Plants 2024, 13(21), 3093; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13213093 - 3 Nov 2024
Viewed by 954
Abstract
Bromus tectorum, a winter annual plant, produces dimorphic diaspores: complex diaspores with multi-awns and simple diaspores with one awn. However, there is no information available about the role of awns and the germination characteristics of dimorphic diaspores. Dispersal germination and awns hygroscopicity [...] Read more.
Bromus tectorum, a winter annual plant, produces dimorphic diaspores: complex diaspores with multi-awns and simple diaspores with one awn. However, there is no information available about the role of awns and the germination characteristics of dimorphic diaspores. Dispersal germination and awns hygroscopicity of the dimorphic diaspores were assessed. The complex diaspore with multi-awns can easily be dispersed long distances from the mother plant by mammals. The simple diaspores with one awn are tightly attached to the mother plant. Caryopses from the two types of diaspores exhibited non-deep physiological dormancy at maturity, which can be released by dry storage and GA3 treatment. The awns have hygroscopic activity and can move in response to changes in moisture, moving the complex diaspore (the seed) into the soil. The seedling emergence from complex diaspores was significantly higher than those from simple diaspores at all burial depths. Germination of caryopses on the soil surface was poor. The optimal planting depth for both types of diaspores’ emergence is 1–2 cm. The distinct characteristics of dimorphic diaspores and the beneficial influence of hygroscopic awns on dispersal, germination, and seedling establishment have significant ecological implications for B. tectorum’s successful reproduction in unpredictable cold deserts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Post-Dispersal Seed Behavior: Dormancy, Germination, Viability, and Mortality)
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13 pages, 1487 KiB  
Article
Invasive Buttonweed Cotula coronopifolia (Asteraceae) Is Halotolerant and Has High Potential for Dispersal by Endozoochory
by Raúl Sánchez-García, Andy J. Green, Lina Tomasson, Francisco Hortas and Maria A. Ortiz
Plants 2024, 13(16), 2219; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13162219 - 10 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1190
Abstract
Buttonweed (Cotula coronopifolia) is native to South Africa but invasive in wetlands in Europe, North America, and Australasia, where it excludes native plants. Despite being dry-fruited, field studies suggest migratory waterbirds can disperse its seeds via gut passage (endozoochory), aiding its [...] Read more.
Buttonweed (Cotula coronopifolia) is native to South Africa but invasive in wetlands in Europe, North America, and Australasia, where it excludes native plants. Despite being dry-fruited, field studies suggest migratory waterbirds can disperse its seeds via gut passage (endozoochory), aiding its expansion. To explore the potential for endozoochory in different regions and habitats, we collected seeds from six populations in Spain, Sweden, and the UK. Germination was tested under different salinity levels (0, 5, 10, 15 g/L) and simulated gut passage treatments: scarification, acidification, or both. No germination occurred at 15 g/L. Higher salinity reduced and delayed germination, but full gut passage treatment (i.e., both scarification and acidification) increased germinability and accelerated germination. Scarification or acid treatment alone resulted in intermediate germination patterns. There were significant salinity × population and gut passage × population interactions on germinability. The acceleration effect of gut passage on germination was stronger at 5–10 g/L than at 0 g/L. This study highlights how migratory birds can facilitate the spread of alien plants introduced by humans. Endozoochory by waterbirds is an understudied mechanism for the long-distance dispersal of dry-fruited alien plants. Further research on C. coronopifolia, including population genetics, is necessary to understand dispersal mechanisms and facilitate management strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Post-Dispersal Seed Behavior: Dormancy, Germination, Viability, and Mortality)
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