Stages In The Development Of A Seed Germination Database For Cape Fynbos Species With Horticultural Potential.Project Collaborators: Neville Brown, Philip Botha. This major research project is aimed at building up a database of information on seed propagation of fynbos plants with horticultural potential. The project involves the monitoring of fynbos populations in order to collect seed of a wide range of fynbos species with horticultural potential. The seeds collected are cleaned and sorted and then counted into samples for germination trials. The seeds are then subjected to a series of tests to characterise the factors imposing dormancy and those factors promoting germination. The data obtained is used to make recommendations for appropriate procedures to improve the efficiency of propagation from seed. |
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1.Recording information from natural populations. |
2.Monitoring seed development in a restio. |
3.Harvesting seed. |
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4.Drying seed heads in the sun. |
5.Cleaning seeds. |
6.Sorting and counting seeds for replicated germination trials. |
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7. Sowing seed. |
8.Preparing seed trays for smoking |
9.Seed trays in smoke tent |
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10.Plant material is burnt in drum to create smoke |
11. Seed trays incubated in open shade houses to on autumn to provide fluctuating temperatures. |
12. Monitoring germination |
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13. Germination data being entered into database |
14.Kirstenbosch Smoke-Plus Seed Primer being packaged. Active chemicals from the smoke are captured on filter paper to form a ready source of smoke for treating seeds. | |
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© South African National Biodiversity Institute |