Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 29, 2025

Reliable Method for Assessing Seed Germination, Dormancy, and Mortality under Field Conditions
Published on: November 6, 2016
Environmental Effects during Early Life-History Stages and Seed Development on Seed Functional Traits of an
Fernanda C Beveridge1, Alwyn Williams1, Robyn Cave1
1School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia.
Abstract:
Understanding how seed functional traits interact with environmental factors to determine seedling recruitment is critical to assess the impact of climate change on ecosystem restoration. This study focused on the effects of environmental factors on the mother plant during early plant life history stages and during seed development. Desmodium brachypodum A. Gray (large tick trefoil, Fabaceae) was used as a model species. Firstly, this study analyzed seed germination traits in response to temperature and moisture stress. Secondly, it investigated how seed burial depth interacts with temperature and soil moisture to influence seedling emergence traits. Finally, it determined if contrasting levels of post-anthesis soil moisture could result in changes in D. brachypodum reproductive biology and seed and seedling functional traits. The results showed that elevated temperature and moisture stress interacted to significantly reduce the seed germination and seedling emergence (each by >50%), while the seed burial improved the seedling emergence. Post-anthesis soil moisture stress negatively impacted the plant traits, reducing the duration of the reproductive phenology stage (by 9 days) and seed production (by almost 50%). Unexpectedly, soil moisture stress did not affect most seed or seedling traits. In conclusion, elevated temperatures combined with low soil moisture caused significant declines in seed germination and seedling emergence. On the other hand, the reproductive output of D. brachypodum had low seed variability under soil moisture stress, which might be useful when sourcing seeds from climates with high variability. Even so, a reduction in seed quantity under maternal moisture stress can impact the long-term survival of restored plant populations.
More Related Videos
07:32Protocols for Obtaining Zygotic and Somatic Embryos for Studying the Regulation of Early Embryo Development in the Model Legume Medicago truncatula
Published on: June 9, 2015
08:52A Seed Coat Bedding Assay to Genetically Explore In Vitro How the Endosperm Controls Seed Germination in Arabidopsis thaliana
Published on: November 9, 2013
Related Concept Videos
Seed Structure and Early Development of the Sporophyte
Background and Environment Affect Phenotype
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...
Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss
The Angiosperm Life Cycle
Seedless Vascular Plants
Energy Budgets