Canadian Forest Service Publications
Effects of seed water content and storage temperature on the germination parameters of white spruce, black spruce and lodgepole pine seed. 2008. Beardmore, T.; Wang, B.S.P.; Penner, M.; Scheer, G. New Forests 36: 171-185.
Year: 2008
Issued by: Atlantic Forestry Centre
Catalog ID: 28913
Language: English
Availability: PDF (request by e-mail)
Abstract
The effect of seed water content (WC) (2-3, 5-6, and 22-25%, on a fresh weight basis), storage temperature (+4, -20, -80 and -196 C) and storage duration (6, 12, 24, 48 and 60 months) on the germination of white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss), black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) and lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud. var. latifolia Englem.) seed was investigated. Germination of white spruce control (untreated) seeds and seeds adjusted to 2-3% and 5-6% WC declined after 48 months of storage at -80 and -196 C, with a further decline at 60 months at -20, -80, -196 C. Germination remained high when control white spruce seeds and seeds with 2-3%, 5-6% WC were stored at +4 C, over all storage durations. generally, black spruce and lodgepole pine exhibited high germination at all storage temperatures at 2-3% an5-6% WC as well as the control (untreated) seed, for up to 60 months in storage. Germination declied for all three species when seed was conditioned to 22-25% WC. This loss in germination was partially recovered in white spruce seed stored at +4, -20 and -80 C after storage durations of 24, 12 and 48 months, respectively, and in black spruce seeds stored at -20 and -196 C after storage durations of 24 months. Mean germination time (MGT) was relatively constant for all species, under all conditions, except for seed conditioned at 22-25% WC, where MGT increased for white spruce seed stored 48 months at -80 and -196 C, and for black spruce seed stored 24 months at +4 and -80 C and 60 months at -196C. These results show that the optimal storage temperatures at 4C for white spruce, and 4, -20, -80, and -196 C for black spruce and lodgepole pine, and 2-6% water content is optimal for all three species at these temperatures.