Could the presence of preformed leaves inside the seed be more important than seed size for the establishment and growth of Cerrado seedlings?

FERREIRA DA SILVA, LARISSA; MELO, NAYARA; PUNTIERI, J. G.; SOUZA, JOAO PAULO

ACTA BOTANICA BRASILICA

SOC BOTANICA BRASIL

Lugar: San Pablo; Año: 2023 vol. 37

0102-3306

The internal structure of seeds is relevant to germination, seedling establishment, and early plant growth. The objective of this work was to evaluate whether internal seed structure can influence germination and initial growth in four native woody species of the Cerrado. The species chosen for this study were Anadenanthera falcata, Stryphnodendron adstringens, Stryphnodendron polyphyllum, and Tabebuia aurea. Seeds were dissected to evaluate: the lengths of thehypocotyl-radicular axis, the epicotyl and the embryonic axis, mass of the cotyledons and the embryo, and eophyll number (preformed organs). Another group of seeds was germinated in a greenhouse for sixty days to verify the emergence of the epicotyl, eophylls, metaphylls, and to measure seedling biomass. Only A. falcata presented a plumule with differentiated eophylls. Anadenanthera falcata germinated before the other species in the greenhouse and had faster epicotyl and leaf emergence. Possibly, the presence of eophylls inside the seed enabled A. falcata seedlings to carry out photosynthesis, grow faster, and accumulate more aerial biomass than the other species soon after emergence. The presence of eophylls and a differentiated embryo (as in A. falcata) may hasten germination and favour seedling establishment.