Pre-sowing treatment of seeds of four protected species from genus Goniolimon, family Plumbaginaceae, distributed in Bulgaria

Abstract

The study was undertaken during the period 2012 – 2014 in the Institute of Ornamental Plants Negovan, Sofa. The aim was to establish the germination qualities of seeds from 4 wild species of genus Goniolimon: Goniolimon besserianum (Sсhult. ex Rchb.) Kusn., Goniolimon collinum (Griseb.) Boiss., Goniolimon dalmaticum (C. Presl) Rchb. f., Goniolimon tataricum (L.) Boiss under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. The weight of 1000 was tested; the values were in the range of 0.6 g for G. collinum to 1.16 g for G. tataricum. Laboratory analyses of germination energy and seed germination were performed; the results were 9.00 to 15.33% and 13.33 to 21.33%. Physical and chemical pre-sowing treatment of seeds was done and the germination in greenhouse conditions was analyzed. After pre-sowing treatment with variable temperature – high at 18-20 °С for 14 days, low at 2-4 °С for 45 days, high at 13-15 °С for 14 days the highest germination rate was recorded, which was in the range of 38.44% for G. dalmaticum to 44.67% for G. tataricum. Germination values of 30.00 to 38% were obtained in greenhouse conditions after cold stratification for the four species.