PUB - Publikationen an der Universität Bielefeld

Seed longevity is an important feature in the context of agriculture, biodiversity conservation, gene banks and plant adaptation to diverse environmental adversities. It varies extensively, from a few days to many years, in a species-specific manner. The present study was aimed at assessing the seed longevity under ambient storage conditions and characterizing the storage dependent changes in viability, germination and efficacy of certain seed pre-treatments in Berberis aristata Roxb. ex DC. and B. lycium Royle (Berberidaceae) from different altitudes in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, India. Both the species have remarkably high medicinal and economic importance and are threatened. The freshly harvested seeds exhibited 100% viability and a reasonably good germination i.e., 53%, 60% and 77% in B. aristata (2400 m), B. lycium (2100 m) and B. lycium (1200 m), respectively, that was further enhanced to varying extents through certain seed pre-treatments. The seed viability status declined consistently with the progression of storage period; in B. aristata, 100% viability status was retained upto 6 months. Storage of seeds for 18 months under ambient conditions led to 33% and 100% viability loss in B. aristata (2400 m), and B. lycium (1200, 2100 m), respectively. A concomitant storage-dependent decline in seed germination was observed. The order of seed longevity (time taken for 50% decline in seed viability) was: B. aristata (2400 m) > 20 months, B. lycium (2100 m) > 10 months and B. lycium (1200 m) > 8 months. The stored seeds responded to various pretreatments in a generally comparable manner to that in case of the freshly harvested ones. The observations on diverse seed biological aspects have direct implications for seed storage, conservation and propagation of the species studied.