Using semi-natural and simulated habitats for seed germination ecology of banana wild relatives

1. Ecologically meaningful seed germination experiments are constrained by access to fresh seeds and relevant environments for testing at the same time. This is particularly the case when research is carried out far from the native area of the studied species. 2. Here, we demonstrate an alternative - the use of glass houses in botanic gardens as simulated-natural habitats to extend the ecological interpretation of germination studies. Our focal taxa are banana crop wild relatives (Musa acuminata subsp. burmannica, M. acuminata subsp. siamea and M. balbisiana), native to tropical and subtropical South East Asia. Tests were carried out in Belgium, where we performed germination tests in relation to foliage-shading to solar radiation and seed burial-depth, as well as seed survival and dormancy release in the soil. We calibrated the interpretation of these studies by also conducting an experiment in a semi-natural habitat in a species native region (M. balbisiana - Los Baños, the Philippines), where we tested germination responses to sun/shade. Using temperature data loggers, we found temperature dynamics for suitable germination in both settings. 3. In these semi-natural and simulated-natural habitats, seeds germinated in response to exposure to direct solar radiation. Seed burial-depth had a significant but marginal effect by comparison, even when seeds were buried to 7 cm in the soil. Temperatures at sun-exposed compared to shaded environments differed by only a few degrees Celsius. Maximum temperature of the period prior to germination was the most significant contributor to germination responses and germination increased linearly above a threshold of 23°C to the maximum temperature in the soil (in simulated natural habitats) of 35°C. 4. Glass houses can provide useful environments to aid interpretation of seed germination responses to environmental niches.

Publication year:2021

BOF-keylabel:yes

IOF-keylabel:yes

BOF-publication weight:1

CSS-citation score:2

Authors:International

Authors from:Government, Private, Higher Education

Accessibility:Open