When Breaking Seed Dormancy Is a Problem: Try a Move-along Experiment

Abstract

The move-along experiment is a double germination phenology study that is easy to use, does not require large numbers of seeds, and allows one to determine if summer only, winter only, or a summer-winter sequence of temperatures is required for dormancy break in seeds with water-permeable seed (or fruit) coats. Two temperature profiles (simulating 1-y cycles proceeding from winter to winter or summer to summer) and control treatments (seeds kept continuously at each temperature regime) are run concurrently. For most species, the combination of dormancy-breaking temperatures required for germination can be determined in 1 y with this technique.