From Seed to Seedling: Influence of Seed Geographic Provenance and Germination Treatments on Reproductive Material Represented by Seedlings of Robinia pseudoacacia

Andreea M. Roman, Alina M. Truta, Irina M. Morar, Oana Viman, Catalina Dan, Adriana F. Sestras, Liviu Holonec, Monica Boscaiu and Radu E. Sestras
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Andreea M. Roman: Faculty of Horticulture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 3-5 Mănăștur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Alina M. Truta: Faculty of Horticulture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 3-5 Mănăștur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Irina M. Morar: Faculty of Horticulture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 3-5 Mănăștur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Oana Viman: Faculty of Horticulture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 3-5 Mănăștur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Catalina Dan: Faculty of Horticulture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 3-5 Mănăștur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Adriana F. Sestras: Faculty of Horticulture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 3-5 Mănăștur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Liviu Holonec: Faculty of Horticulture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 3-5 Mănăștur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Monica Boscaiu: Mediterranean Agroforestry Institute (IAM), Universitat Politècnica de Valencia, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Radu E. Sestras: Faculty of Horticulture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 3-5 Mănăștur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-19

Abstract: The influence of the geographical origin of eight Romanian provenances of Robinia pseudoacacia on the characteristics of seeds, germination, and growth of seedlings in young stages of life was analyzed. Four experiments were undertaken to test seed germination (thermal treatment at distinct temperatures, mechanical scarification, acetone 90%, and biostimulator). The germination percentage showed that scarification treatment provided the best results among all treatments (41.7%). Seeds soaked in water at 100 °C provided the second-highest germination rate. Furthermore, the same two treatments also assured the highest values for the seedlings’ length. There were registered significant differences among the provenances for the analyzed characteristics, the seed germination capacity, and the growth rate of the seedlings in the first years of life. The study highlighted the resources that could ensure good quality of the reproductive forest material, which can be used in new afforestation and breeding programs. Pearson correlations and multivariate analysis provided interesting and useful information about R. pseudoacacia provenances and 13 characteristics of the seeds and seedlings, highlighting the relationship among them. The results could be of interest for the efficient use of forest genetic resources and the obtention of quality reproductive material in black locust.

Keywords: black locust; seed origin; growth; germination indices (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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