Regulation of seed dormancy by the maternal environment is instrumental for maximizing plant fitness in Polygonum aviculare.

ROCIO BELÉN FERNANDEZ; BENECH-ARNOLD, ROBERTO; BATLLA DIEGO

JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY

OXFORD UNIV PRESS

Lugar: Oxford; Año: 2019

0022-0957

Emergence at an appropriate time and place is critical for maximizing plant fitness and hence sophisticated mechanisms such as seed dormancy have evolved. Although maternal influence on different aspects of dormancy behaviorhas been identified, its impact under field conditions and its relation to plant fitness remains has not been fully determined. This study examined maternal effects in Polygonum aviculare on release of seed primary dormancy, responses to alternating temperatures, induction into secondary dormancy, and field emergence patterns as influencedby changes in the sowing date and photoperiod experienced by the mother plant. Maternal effects were quantifiedusing population threshold models that allowed us to simulate and interpret the experimental results. We found thatregulation of dormancy in P. aviculare seeds by the maternal environment is instrumental for maximizing plant fitnessin the field. This regulation operates by changing the dormancy level of seeds dispersed at different times (as a consequence of differences in the sowing dates of mother plants) in order to synchronize most emergence to the seasonalperiod that ultimately guarantees the highest reproductive output of the new generation. Our results also showed thatmaternal photoperiod, which represents a clear seasonal cue, is involved in this regulation.