Seed dormancy in bay laurel (Laurus nobilis L.)

• Published in: New forests 2001-01, Vol.21 (2), p.105-114
• Main Author: TAKOS, Ioannis A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Economic plant physiology; Embryo development. Germination; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetics and breeding of economic plants; Germination and dormancy; Growth and development; Peat; Plant physiology and development; Seed germination; Seeds; Seeds and other planting stocks; Stratification
• ISSN: 0169-4286; 1573-5095
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1011875725469

The germination of bay laurel (Laurus nobilis L.) seeds wasexamined both in the laboratory and in the field during twoyears. Seeds were collected from a grove in a garden in the townof Drama, Northern Greece, by mid November in the first year andby late November in the second year. The seeds with and withoutpericarp were given a warm-moist (20 °C day/12 °C night) oncold-moist (4±1 °C) treatment in peat or sand. After treatment theseeds were placed in the germinator along with controls. Thegermination of seeds with and without pericarp was alsoinvestigated in the field (late fall sowing). It was found thatthe pericarp caused dormancy. In seeds without pericarp,cold-moist and warm-moist stratification both proved to besuccessful in breaking embryo dormancy (100% and 96% successrespectively). The required stratification duration was 50 daysfor the warm-moist and 60 days for the cold-moist treatments.During the cold-moist stratification no germination was observed.On the other hand, seeds started to germinate during thewarm-moist stratification by about the 50th day. In the fallsowing germination was 20% for seeds with pericarp and 41% for seeds without pericarp. Drying bay laurel seeds caused areduction of the seed germination.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]