Germination of Oenothera odorata, endemic ruderal Onagraceae from Argentina

CHICHIZOLA GISELLE; ROVERE ADRIANA; GONZALEZ SOFÍA

PHYTON - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY BA ARGENTINA

FUNDACION ROMULO RAGGIO

Lugar: Buenos Aires; Año: 2018 vol. 87 p. 265 - 273

0031-9457

The Onagraceae are a well-defined family of floweringplants much used by man. Many representatives of this group, whichcontains 75 species belonging to 8 genera, are indigenous to Argentina,and 19% of these are commonly found throughout the country.Many Onagraceae are ruderal and promote the subsequent establishmentof other species, thus contributing to the restoration of degradedareas. Since it is important to know the characteristics of seedsto be used in restoration projects, we studied the basic germinationphysiology of Oenothera odorata Jacq., a ruderal plant indigenous toArgentina. Material was collected from roadsides and embankmentsalong National Highway 40 in the municipality of San Carlos deBariloche, which lies within the Patagonian phytogeographical Province.Road construction generates degraded areas where O. odoratacould be used to initiate revegetation and consolidate the substrate.We evaluated percentage germination (G), mean germination time(MGT) and time until initiation of germination (TUG) of a control(C) and of the following pre-germination treatments: 45 days coldmoist stratification (CMS) and mechanical scarification with a scalpel(MS). Germination percentages were high (98% CMS, 96% MS,93% C), with differences recorded only between CMS and C. MGTwas lower in the CMS treatment than the control, but similar to MS.TUG was 4 days for all treatments. In conclusion, this species lacksdormancy mechanisms under these experimental conditions, which,together with the fact that it grows in disturbed sites, is endemic,and captures heavy metals, makes it suitable for use in the ecologicalrestoration of areas affected by transport systems.