SpringerLink
Log in

Drought, salinity and heat differently affect seed germination of Pinus pinea

  • Short Communication
  • Published:
Journal of Forest Research

Abstract

Drought, salinity and forest fires are adverse abiotic factors responsible for the failure of plant regeneration in the Mediterranean regions. The objective of this study was to evaluate Pinus pinea seed germination in response to heat, osmotic and salinity stress. Separate experiments were conducted, using polyethylene glycol (PEG) as an osmotic agent to reproduce drought stress, and sodium chloride (NaCl) and diluted seawater as salinizing agents to simulate salinity stress. Different temperatures were used to reproduce the effects of different fire regimes. Seed germination and the activities of the main enzymes involved in Pinus seed reserve utilization (glyoxylate cycle enzymes) decreased with increasing PEG, NaCl and seawater concentrations. Seawater appears to be the least toxic salinizing agent on Pinus pinea seed germination. The present study indicates that the germination of Pinus pinea seeds is influenced by the concentrations and even more by the nature and interactions of the ions present in the solutions. As regard heat treatments, the maximum germination percentage (80%) was obtained at 80°C and short exposure time (3 min). Increasing exposure time and temperature led to the germination percentage progressively decreasing.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahmad J, Bano M (1992) The effect of sodium chloride on the physiology of cotyledons and mobilization of reserve food in Cicer arietinum. Pak J Bot 24:40–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Ali H, Tucher TC, Thompson TL, Salim M (2001) Effects of salinity and mixed ammonium and nitrate nutrition on the growth and nitrogen utilization of barley. J Agron Crop Sci 186:223–228

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ashraf M, Zafar R, Ashraf MY (2003) Time-course changes in the inorganic and organic components of germinating sunflower achenes under salt (NaCl) stress. Flora 198:26–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Baranova EN, Gulevich AA, Polyakov VY (2006) Effects of NaCl, Na2SO4, and mannitol on storage lipid mobilization in the cotyledons and roots of purple alfalfa seedlings. Russ J Plant Physiol 53:779–784

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bradford MM (1976) A rapid and sensitive method for the quantification of microgram of protein utilizing the principle of protein dye binding. Anal Biochem 72:248–254

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chia TYP, Pike MJ, Rawsthorne S (2005) Storage oil breakdown during embryo development of Brassica napus (L.). J Exp Bot 56:1285–1296

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Court-Picon M, Gadbin-Henry C, Guibal F, Roux M (2004) Dendrometry and morphometry of Pinus pinea L. in lower Provence (France): adaptability and variability of provenances. For Ecol Manage 194:319–333

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dominguez-Lerena S, Herrero Sierra L, Carrasco Manzano I, Ocaña Bueno L, Peñuelas Rubira JL, Mexal JG (2006) Container characteristics influence Pinus pinea seedling development in the nursery and field. For Ecol Manage 221:63–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Giachetti E, Pinzauti G, Bonaccorsi R, Vincenzini MT, Vanni P (1987) Isocitrate lyase from higher plants. Phytochemistry 26:2439–2446

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Habrouk A, Retana J, Espelta JM (1999) Role of heat tolerance and cone protection of seeds in the response of three pine species to wildfires. Plant Ecol 145:91–99

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hock B, Beevers H (1966) Development and decline of the glyoxylate cycle enzymes in watermelon seedlings (Citrullus vulgaris Schrad). Z Pflanzenphysiol 55:405–414

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huang J, Redmann RE (1995) Salt tolerance of Hordeum and Brassica species during germination and early seedling growth. Can J Plant Sci 75:815–819

    Google Scholar 

  • Johanson RA, Hill JM, McFadden BA (1974) Isocitrate lyase from Neurospora cassa: purification, kinetic mechanism, and interaction with inhibitors. Biochim Biophys Acta 364:327–340

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Joshi AJ, Khot S (2002) Effects of different salts on seed germination in a succulent halophyte, Haloxylon salicornicum Bunge Ex Boiss. In: Proceedings of the symposium on emerging area in plant science, Bhavnagar University, Gujarat, pp 56–60

  • Keeley JE, Zedler PH (1998) Evolution of life histories in pines. In: Richardson DM (ed) Ecology and biogeography of Pinus. Cambridge University Press, London, pp 219–249

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin CC, Kao CH (1995) NaCl stress in rice seedlings: starch mobilization and the influence of gibberellic acid on seedling growth. Bot Bull Acad Sin 36:169–173

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lin M, Behal R, Oliver DJ (2004) Characterization of a mutation in the IDH-II subunit of the NAD+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase from Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Sci 166:983–988

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mayer AM, Poljakoff-Mayber A (1989) The germination of seeds. Pergamon, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Meletiou-Christou MS, Diamantoglou S, Mitrakos K (1990) Analysis of lipids of Citrus lanatus (cv. Sugar baby) during seed germination and seedling growth. J Exp Bot 41:1455–1460

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mohammed S, Sen DN (1991) Effects of different salts on seed germination of Suaeda fruticosa L Forsk, from different localities in Indian desert. J Ind Bot Soc 70:91–93

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Muscolo A, Panuccio MR, Sidari M (2002) Glyoxylate cycle in germination of Pinus laricio seeds: effects of phenolic compounds extracted from different forest soils. Plant Growth Regul 37:1–5

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Muscolo A, Panuccio MR, Sidari M (2003) Effects of salinity on growth, carbohydrate metabolism and nutritive properties of kikuyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum Hochst). Plant Sci 164:1103–1110

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Núñez MR, Calvo L (2000) Effect of high temperatures on seed germination of Pinus sylvestris and Pinus halepensis. For Ecol Manage 131:183–190

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pausas JG (2006) Simulating Mediterranean landscape pattern and vegetation dynamics under different fire regimes. Plant Ecol 187:249–259

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rai AK, Rai V (2003) Effect of NaCl on growth, nitrate uptake and reduction and nitrogenase activity of Azolla pinnata–Anabaena azollae. Plant Sci 164:61–69

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ranaldi F, Giachetti E, Guerin E, Bacci S, Paoletti E, Boddi V, Vanni P (2003) Gravitational stress on germinating Pinus pinea seeds. CR Biol 326:553–564

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodney W (2004) Book review: on ecology and biogeography of Pinus. Agric For Meteorol 124:285–286

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez P, Torrecillas A, Morales MA, Ortuño MF, Sánchez-Blanco MJ (2005) Effect of NaCl salinity and water stress on growth and leaf water relations of Asteriscus maritimus plants. Environ Exp Bot 53:113–123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rogolot E (2004) Predicting postfire mortality of Pinus halepensis Mill. and Pinus pinea L. Plant Ecol 171:139–151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sadka A, Artzi B, Cohen L, Dahan E, Hasdai D, Tagari E et al (2000) Arsenite reduces acid content in citrus fruit, inhibits activity of citrate synthase but induces its gene expression. J Am Soc Hort Sci 125:288–293

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sokal RR, Rohlf FJ (1981) Biometry. Freeman, San Francisco

    Google Scholar 

  • Soltani A, Gholipoor M, Zeinali E (2006) Seed reserve utilization and seedling growth of wheat as affected by drought and salinity. Environ Exp Bot 55:195–200

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sosa L, Llanes A, Reinoso H, Reginato M, Luna V (2005) Osmotic and specific ion effects on the germination of Prosopis strombulifera. Ann Bot 96:261–267

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tarrega R, Calvo R, Trabaud L (1992) Effect of high temperatures on seed germination of two woody leguminosae (Cytisus scoparius and Genista florida). Vegetatio 102:139–147

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walker RP, Trevanion SJ, Leegod RC (1995) Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase from higher plants: purification from cucumber and evidence of rapid proteolytic cleavage in extracts from a range of plant tissues. Planta 196:58–63

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

This research was supported by the Università ‘Mediterranea’ di Reggio Calabria―Programmi di Ricerca Scientifica (ex Quota 60%).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agricultural and Forest Systems Management, Faculty of Agriculture, University ‘Mediterranea’ of Reggio Calabria, Feo di Vito, 89060, Reggio Calabria, Italy

    Maria Sidari, Carmelo Mallamaci & Adele Muscolo

Authors
  1. Maria Sidari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Carmelo Mallamaci
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Adele Muscolo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Adele Muscolo.

About this article

Cite this article

Sidari, M., Mallamaci, C. & Muscolo, A. Drought, salinity and heat differently affect seed germination of Pinus pinea . J For Res 13, 326–330 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10310-008-0086-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10310-008-0086-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation