Rangeland Ecology & Management

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Seed germination characteristics of selected native plants of the lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas
Author
Vora, R. S.
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
1989-01-01
Body

Experiments were conducted to identify treatments that increased emergence of seeds of 24 woody plant species native to the lower Rio Grande Valley of southern Texas. Sulfuric acid (18.4M H2 SO4) scarification significantly increased emergence of huisache (Acacia smallii), huisachillo (A. schaffneri), Texas ebony (Pithecellobium flexicaule), tenaza (P. pallens), tepeguaje (Leucaena pulverulenta), retama (Parkinsonia aculeata), and western soapberry (Sapindus drummondii); treatments such as soaking in distilled water, gibberellic acid (0.3 or 1.4 mMol), or other scarification techniques were not as effective as acid. Fresh guajillo (A. berlandieri) seeds required no treatment, but 8-month-old seeds had higher emergence with acid scarification. Texas ebony emergence was higher from 10-month-old seed treated with acid than from fresh seeds. No pre-treatment seemed necessary for seeds of coral bean (Erythrina herbacea), Texas persimmon (Diospyros texana), sugarberry (Celtis laevigata), granjeno (C. pallida), pigeon-berry (Rivina humilis), Texas baby-bonnets (Coursetia axillaris), guajillo (A. berlandieri), and lotebush (Ziziphus obtusifolia). Results with blackbrush (A. rigidula), Wright's acacia (A. wrightii), rattlebush (Sesbania drummondii), guayacan (Guaiacum angustifolium), brasil (Condalia hookeri), elbowbush (Forestiera angustifolia), and anacua (Ehretia anacua) seeds were inconclusive. Plants of 16 woody species achieved mean heights of 25 cm in 45 to 150 days. This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact lbry-journals@email.arizona.edu for further information. Migrated from OJS platform August 2020

Language
en
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Journal Issue/Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.2307/3899655
Additional Information
Vora, R. S. (1989). Seed germination characteristics of selected native plants of the lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas. Journal of Range Management, 42(1), 36-40.
IISN
0022-409X
OAI Identifier
oai:repository.arizona.edu:10150/645072
Journal Volume
42
Journal Number
1
Journal Pages
36-40
Journal Name
Journal of Range Management
Keywords
greenhouse experimentation
distilled water
soaking
flora
gibberellic acid
scarification
seedling emergence
woody plants
Texas
seed germination
sulfuric acid