Determining Optimum Germination Conditions in Western Stoneseed
Faculty Mentor
Robin O'Quinn
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
5-8-2024 9:00 AM
End Date
5-8-2024 10:45 AM
Location
PUB NCR
Primary Discipline of Presentation
Biology
Abstract
Commonly known as western stoneseed, Lithospermum ruderale Douglas ex Lehm, of the plant family Boraginaceae, is a flowering plant native to the western United States, including eastern Washington. It is known for its hard, stony seeds and is a common species in arid habitats including the prairie ecosystems of the inland Pacific Northwest. The Eastern Washington University prairie restoration project aims to restore about 120 acres of former agricultural land to its native prairie state and includes planting native perennial species common to these prairies. Many of these, including stoneseed, are difficult to germinate and establish. This project aims to determine optimal germination conditions for L. ruderale, about which little is currently known. 48 seeds from eight populations of L. ruderale collected from various location in eastern Washington over the past several years were subjected to four possible treatments: control where seeds were subjected to cold stratification only, scarification where the seed coats were abraded to allow uptake of water, exogenous application of gibberellic acid (GA3), or both GA3 and scarification. Seeds for all treatment groups were cold-stratified for 60 days and monitored for germination during and after cold stratification to compare success and speed of germination from the various groups.
Recommended Citation
Carroll, Anna J., "Determining Optimum Germination Conditions in Western Stoneseed" (2024). 2024 Symposium. 3.
https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2024/ps_2024/p1_2024/3
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Determining Optimum Germination Conditions in Western Stoneseed
PUB NCR
Commonly known as western stoneseed, Lithospermum ruderale Douglas ex Lehm, of the plant family Boraginaceae, is a flowering plant native to the western United States, including eastern Washington. It is known for its hard, stony seeds and is a common species in arid habitats including the prairie ecosystems of the inland Pacific Northwest. The Eastern Washington University prairie restoration project aims to restore about 120 acres of former agricultural land to its native prairie state and includes planting native perennial species common to these prairies. Many of these, including stoneseed, are difficult to germinate and establish. This project aims to determine optimal germination conditions for L. ruderale, about which little is currently known. 48 seeds from eight populations of L. ruderale collected from various location in eastern Washington over the past several years were subjected to four possible treatments: control where seeds were subjected to cold stratification only, scarification where the seed coats were abraded to allow uptake of water, exogenous application of gibberellic acid (GA3), or both GA3 and scarification. Seeds for all treatment groups were cold-stratified for 60 days and monitored for germination during and after cold stratification to compare success and speed of germination from the various groups.
