Dormancy Breaking and Short-term Storage of Pretreated Fagus sylvatica Seeds

Abstract

Seeds of Fagus sylvatica with a seed moisture content (m.c.) of 30% showed a widening in the temperature range of germination during the first 16–20 weeks of pretreatment at 3°C. After 24 weeks this range became narrower again. Effects of dehydration and dry storage on germination capacity depended on the provenance, the duration of pretreatment preceding dehydration, the seed m.c. after dehydration, the storage temperature and the duration of storage. When pretreated seeds with a m.c. of 30% were stored at —2°C, no decrease in germination capacity was observed during at least four months. It is postulated that seeds withstand dehydration during the phase of dormancy breakage, whereas dehydration after completion of that phase results in irreversible damage in the metabolically active seeds, that otherwise may start early genninative events, although radicle protrusion is prevented.