• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.136-142
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• 2016

Lespedeza species are mainly used for wildlife food and cover and for erosion control. The germination of these species can be enhanced after a fire occurrence in forest, which is known as fire-activated seeds to germinate. While the heat treatment could break seed dormancy of Lespedeza, its germination rate was quite low. We investigated that chemical scarification could promote germination of L. tomentosa. Seeds were soaked in 100% sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) for 0, 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 96, 192, and 384 min, and then washed in distilled water for 24 h. Very few seeds were germinated in control (H₂SO₄ for 0 min). More than 90% of seeds were germinated in H₂SO₄ for 24, 48, and 92 min. However, some damage was observed in roots and cotyledons of seedling dipped in H₂SO₄ for a long time. To search the optimal soaking time in H₂SO₄ without defects, seeds scarified in H₂SO₄ for 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, and 300 min were sown the commercial soil medium. Seeds treated with H₂SO₄ for 90 min and 150 min emerged by about 92% and 84%, respectively. Therefore, H₂SO₄ treatment could break the seed dormancy of Lespedeza species, and especially in case of L. tomentosa the optimal treatment time in sulfuric acid was one to two hours. Germination of L. tomentosa began promptly following the scarification and was completed within about one month, indicating that seeds has no physiological dormancy, just has physical dormancy.