• Plant Biotechnology Reports
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.103-109
• /
• 2009

In this study we established reliable methods for conservation of seeds of Phaius tankervilleae as an orchid genetic resource. The seeds, which were dehydrated to 5% water content and preserved at $4^{\circ}C$, showed no decrease in viability and germinability after three months. After storage for six months, however, the seeds showed a drastic decrease in germinability, even though survival rate was high. For long-term preservation of seeds of P. tankervilleae, cryopreservation is applied to the freshly harvested seeds. When the seeds were cryopreserved by the vitrification method for up to 12 months there was no apparent deterioration effect of storage time. These results indicate that cryopreservation by the vitrification method is useful for long-term conservation of P. tankervilleae seeds, which are difficult to preserve for more than three months under dry and low-temperature conditions.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.295-305
• /
• 2011

Many studies have suggested the positive effects of grazing by large herbivorous mammals on seed dispersal, but little is known about how herbivores could affect the fate of ingested seeds. This study examined the effects of seed ingestion by sika deer (Cervus nippon) on seed fate in a temperate grassland established in an urban park long resided by high densities of sika deer. I compared species composition and seasonal traits of seed abundance and maturity in the grassland community with those in deer fecal pellets. In total, 27 herbaceous species were observed, including the predominant Zoysia japonica. Seed phenology and production differed among the three dominant species (Z. japonica, Digitaria violascens, and Hydrocotyle maritima). Pellets contained at least 26 species of herbaceous seeds, and their abundance differed among species. Of the 26 species, 15 were observed in the vegetation at the study site. The peak of seed abundance in pellets for the dominant species appeared 1 month after the peak of inflorescence production (but most of the inflorescences were immature and susceptible to digestion) and consequently corresponded to the peak of mature inflorescence. Because sika deer are likely to ingest seeds at any maturity stage in the grassland and immature seeds are less hardened, ingested immature seeds can suffer great losses. The results suggested that the survival of germable seeds with great losses of immature seeds may be a factor determining which plant species can be successfully dispersed by herbivores.

• ALGAE
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.141-146
• /
• 2007

Seagrass bed is an important component in coastal and estuarine ecosystems, providing food and habitats to a wide variety of marine organisms. Recently, seagrass coverage has declined significantly due to anthropogenic impacts such as cultural eutrophication and reclamation, and thus efforts are under way to prevent further losses and restore disturbed seagrass habitats worldwide. Seagrass transplantation techniques for habitat restoration include vegetative and seed-based methods. Seagrass seeds can be collected easily, and sowing seeds is an economically effective method for large-scale restoration. However, large numbers of seed can be lost by seed predation and physical disturbance in the planting areas. In the present study, Zostera marina seeds were coated with loess to reduce seed loss by predation and sweeping away by the water currents, and germination rates of coated seeds and seedling growth were examined to assess the feasibility of the seed-coating method for large-scale restoration. Germination rate of the coated seeds with loess was significantly higher than that of the uncoated seeds. Additionally, seedling growths were not significantly different between the coated and the uncoated seeds. These results suggest that coating of eelgrass seeds with loess enhances success of seed germintion with no harmful effects on seedling growth. Therefore, the seed coating method using loess may be an effective and applicable seedbased transplanting technique for large-scale restoration.

• Asian Journal of Turfgrass Science
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.89-94
• /
• 1989

Research was conducted to obtain t he optimum treatment Of sodium hypochlorite(NaOC I) at various temperatures in t he seed scarification for stimulating germination of zoysiagrass (Zocysia Japonica Steud ) seed. Morphological changes of seed coat were also examined by scanning electron micros cop(SEM). l. Differences in temperature of scarification with 2 .4% NaOCI showed little influence on promoting germination of seeds but seeds treated with 1% solution at l5˚C germinated less than that of higher temperatures. The promotion effect of 4% solution on germination was diminished when seeds were treated for 8 hours of more. The most favorable seed scarification unaffected hy temperature for enhancing germination was 4-6hours treatment at 4% solution in fresh seeds. 2. $GA_3$, treatment did not enhance germination of water-pretreated control seeds hut germination of seeds pretreated with NaOCI l was increased additional 10% or more hy$ GA_3$, Water pretreated control seeds treated with 50 mM hydrogen peroxide(H'O )germinated about 44%. In NaOCI treated seeds. $H_2$$O_2$ treatment increased germination additional l 0% or more. 3. NaOCI l and KOH treatment softened the seed coat and formed the pores hy removing the scab-like thikenings attached to the seed surface. These results suggest that the modes of action of NaOCl in the promotion of seed germination reside in it increase of the permeability of the seed coat, and in the provision of additional oxygen to the seed.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.134-137
• /
• 1999

An experiment was carried out to determine the effects of priming and growth regulator treatment of seeds on the emergence and seedling growth of rice, Oryza sativa L. (cv. 'Ilpumbyeo'). Normal seeds were primed in a -0.6 MPa polyethylene glycol solution at 15$^{\circ}C$ for four days with air-bubbling. Then both primed and non-primed seeds were soaked in water, 100 ppm GA$_3$, 2 ppm ABA, and 10 ppm kinetin solutions for 24 hours. The seeds were planted in soil at 3 and 5 cm depths and allowed to germinate in a growth cabinet at 2$0^{\circ}C$. Generally, the emergence rate at the 3 cm seeding depth was higher and emerged faster compared with the 5 cm seeding depth. The emergence rate of primed seeds was higher and emerged faster compared to non-primed seeds. GA$_3$ and kinetin treatments were the most effective to improve the emergence rate of non-primed seeds. Coleoptile length at the 5 cm seeding depth was longer than that at the 3 cm seeding depth. Leaf number, plant height, and root length of primed seedlings were higher compared with non-primed seeds. GA$_3$ promoted the elongation of plant height and mesocotyle length.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.123-133
• /
• 1996

An automatic drum seeder was developed to improve the seeding operation. It consisted of a conveyor to transfer seedling trays, a seed-hopper to supply seeds, a drum to drop seeds on the tray, and an air blower to remove extra seeds. A photo sensor was used to detect the transfer of seedling trays, and its signal was fed into microcomputer which operated a stepping motor driving the drum. The seeds were adhered to the surface of drum by vacuum pressure, and were dropped into tray cells by compressed air. An air connection unit was devised to alternate between vacuum pressure and compressed air. A control program for the system, written in C language, could operate the drum at the given number of revolutions and revolutions per minute. The results showed that the air connection unit could operate well and the seeds were dropped satisfactorily into tray cells. In case of cabbage and perilla seeds, which are regular and spherical shape, the missing rate was low and the single seeding rate was more than 97%. Low missing rate and high multiple seeding rate were observed in lettuce seeds which have narrow ends with tight weight. The missing rate of pepper seed was very high because of heavy weight and irregular shape. To improve the performance of the seeder, adjustment of vacuum pressure based upon shape and weight of the seeds, careful selection of the material of drum, maintenance of consistent air blower pressure, and replacement of stepping motor to DC motor are recommended.

• Plant Resources
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.127-132
• /
• 1999

This study was carried out to investigate the morphological characteristics of the plants and seeds of Ainsliaea acerifolia and to determine the optimum condition for producing sprouts from the seeds. Plant height, flower stalk length, and pod number were higher in natural habitat than in campus farm. Average 1.2 seeds per pod was set but only 0 to 2 seeds per plant was set in plants with the enveloped flower stalks, indicating that this is an outcrossing species. Most of seeds were 9-11mm long and 1.1-1.4mm wide. Fresh weight of seeds was ranged from 10mg to 17mg. Seeds germinated well at 15$^{\circ}C$ and 2$0^{\circ}C$. Mean germination period was 11.5 day at 15 to $25^{\circ}C$. Sprouts grown at 15$^{\circ}C$ was longest(5.4cm) and heaviest(738mg/10 sprouts). Chlorophyll content was 333mg per fresh weight 110g. Protein, Fe, vitamin Bl, vitamin B2, and vitamin C were respectively 23.7mg, 6.4mg, 1.82mg, 0.49mg, and 10..7mg.

• Proceedings of the EASDL Conference
• /
• 2004.10a
• /
• pp.13-30
• /
• 2004

There are two groups of significant functional constituents in sesame seeds on the whole; one is the vegetable oils and another is the anti-oxidative compounds. However, although high amounts of major fatty acids are synthesized in sesame seeds, their composition is unfavorable because the contents of alpha- and gamma-linolenic acid, the essential fatty acids, are very low or do not produced in sesame seeds. So, to increase these fatty acids in sesame seeds, one strategy is to overexpress their genes, ${\omega}$-3 fatty acid desaturase for alpha-linolenic acid and delta-6 fatty acid desaturase for gamma-linolenid acid, in them. Another molecular target is to enhance alpha-tocopherol, vitamin E, because its content is very low in sesame seeds. The enzyme, gamma-tocopherol methyltransferase, catalyzes the conversion of gamma-tocophero to alpha-tocopherol. Overexpression of this enzyme in sesame seeds could be also a good molecular breeding target. Reduction of phytic acid is also another molecular target in sesame seeds because phosphorus pollution may be caused by its high content in sesame seeds. Accordingly, to do so, one of target enzymes could be myo-inositol 1-phosphate synthase which is a key regulatory enzyme in the pathway of phytic aicd biosyntheses. In this lecture, a molecular strategy for development of value-added sesame crop is described in association with some results of our experiments involved in the molecular characterizations of the genes mentioned above.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.533-540
• /
• 2015

Germination properties, leachate electrical conductivity (EC), and inorganic compound leaching were analyzed to ascertain the storage ability and change of physiological characteristics during storage of Hippophae rhamnoides seeds. Seeds were placed in an incubator at 25℃ and sown in different soil media (sand, vermiculite and horticultural substrate) after being stored for 6, 18 and 30 months at 2℃. All germination properties decreased in accordance to an increase of the seed storage period. Compared with the seed storage for 18 months, germination percentage (GP), germination performance index (GPI), and germination value (GV) of seeds stored for 30 months decreased by more than 50%. When the seeds were sown in different soil media in a greenhouse, those germination properties were similar to the seeds germinated in an incubator, and mean germination time, GPI and GV had a significant difference except GP among soil media. EC and inorganic ion concentration had a strong positive correlation with the seed storage period, but the ratios of inorganic ions from stored seeds revealed that K⁺/Mg²⁺ and Na⁺/Mg²⁺ were inversely correlated with the storage period.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.52 no.1
• /
• pp.49-54
• /
• 2021

As the consumption of avocado fruits and avocado oils is steadily increasing, the amount of avocado seeds which are thrown away as by-products is also inceasing. Thus, the possibility of use of avocado seeds as natural preservatives was studied focused on the antioxidant effect. The extraction of avocado seeds and seed husks with 100% ethanol by maceration showed highest antioxidant activities and lowest IC50 values compared to 80% ethanol extract. Furthermore, 100% ethanol extract of avocado seeds and seed husks included significantly higher amount of polyphenols than 80% extract. However, total flavonoid content of 100% avocado seed extract was not signigicantly different from 80% seed extract, whereas that of 100% avocado seed husk extract was significantly higher than 80% seed husk extract. In case of acid values, heating of oil alone for 120 and 180 min significantly increased the acid values, whereas the treatment of oil with seed and seed husk extract signficantly decreased the acid values. These results suggest that antioxidant effects of avocado seeds and seed husks protected the oil against heat-induced acidification. Thus, avocado seeds and seed husks have a potential to be developed as an natural antioxidant and natural preservative which could be used commercially.