Germination responses to GA(3) and stratification of threatened Festuca L. species from eastern Mediterranean

Abstract

Ne seed germination characteristics of three threatened Festuca sp. [E punctoria Sm., F cyllenica Boiss. et Heldr. subsp. uluana Markgr.-Dannenb., F. paphlagonica (St.-Yves) Markgr.-Dannenb. subsp. paphlagonica] were investigated. These species are endemic and spread on alpine belt. The study was carried out with wet-cold and dry-cold stratification throughout 15 days, different doses of GA(3) (50, 100 and 150 ppm) and hormone-stratification combined treatments, and non-treatment series. We found that the germination rates of three fescue seeds for various treatment series were different. ne mean germination percentage of F. cyllenica was higher (80%) than that of F punctoria and E paphlagonica which were fairly low (50-60%). Germination rates increased by wet-stratification treatment in E punctoria and also increased with 100 ppm GA(3) application to the seeds of E paphlagonica. When taken into consideration the germination percentages of all fescue species, the seeds of E punctoria and E paphlagonica can be dormant, but the seeds of E cyllenica are non-dormant.