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Plants
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Innovative Seed Enhancement Technologies
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Innovative Seed Enhancement Technologies

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Ecology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 June 2024 | Viewed by 3724

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Alison Ritchie

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Agriculture and Environment, University of Western Australia, Western Australia 6009, Australia
Interests: plant ecology; restoration ecology; seed production areas; seed enhancements
Dr. Lauren Svejcar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
USDA–ARS, Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Burns, OR, USA.
Interests: restoration ecology invasive species management; dryland ecosystems; spatial contexts of biotic interactions and abiotic processes at the local and global scales

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We invite you to contribute to the Special Issue “Innovative Seed Enhancement Technologies”

Seed enhancement technologies (SETs) are being developed and applied to native plant species increasingly in order to alleviate barriers to plant establishment in ecological restoration. Seed-based restoration faces many edaphic and biotic challenges that can be overcome through post-harvest seed treatments that further ‘enhance’ the performance of seeds beyond dormancy-breaking treatments. The application of innovative seed enhancement technologies in the restoration industry is still in its infancy, yet it has seen advancements in the agricultural and horticultural sectors. As almost 1 billion hectares of lands have been pledged for restoration globally under the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration, effective and successful seed-based restoration is of high importance. SETs provide restoration practitioners with many opportunities to improve native seed delivery, accommodate increasingly larger scales of restoration and tackle a broad range of land legacy issues. The adoption of SETs to meet the restoration targets of the coming decade requires progressive research efforts, knowledge and data sharing, collaboration and improvements to native seed use. Native or wild plant SETs and their application in ecological restoration are rapidly expanding areas of research. This Special Issue aims to provide the latest research on various new tools, developments, approaches and applications of innovative seed enhancement technologies from the perspective of native plant restoration.

Dr. Alison Ritchie
Dr. Lauren Svejcar
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • seed science
  • ecological restoration
  • seed treatments
  • seed-based restoration

Published Papers (4 papers)

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15 pages, 2461 KiB  
Article
Slow Release of GA3 Hormone from Polymer Coating Overcomes Seed Dormancy and Improves Germination
by Alexandra J. S. Larson, Maureen M. Cartwright, Whitney D. Jones, Katrina Luce, Mei-Yu Chen, Kate Petersen, Shannon V. Nelson, David J. Michaelis and Matthew D. Madsen
Plants 2023, 12(24), 4139; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12244139 - 12 Dec 2023
Viewed by 790
Abstract
Seed dormancy often hinders direct seeding efforts that are attempting to restore degraded landscapes. Gibberellic acid (GA3) can be applied to physiologically dormant seeds to induce germination, but this hormone is rarely effective, as it can degrade or be leached from [...] Read more.
Seed dormancy often hinders direct seeding efforts that are attempting to restore degraded landscapes. Gibberellic acid (GA3) can be applied to physiologically dormant seeds to induce germination, but this hormone is rarely effective, as it can degrade or be leached from the seed. We tested different polymer matrixes (polylactic acid, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and ethylcellulose) to apply and slowly release GA3 to the seed. These polymers were tested as seed coatings in either a powder, liquid, or a combination of powder and liquid forms. We found that a liquid ethylcellulose/GA3 coating generally outperformed the other polymers and applications methods using our test species Penstemon palmeri. With this top-performing treatment, seed germination was 3.0- and 3.9-fold higher at 15 °C and 25 °C, respectively. We also evaluated the liquid ethylcellulose/GA3 coating on P. comharrenus, P. strictus, P. pachyphyllus, and P. eatonii. Again, the coating had a strong treatment response, with the degree of difference related to the relative level of dormancy of the species. Growth studies were also performed in pots to ensure that the side effects of GA3 overdosing were not present. Here, we found minimal differences in root length, shoot length, or biomass between plants grown from untreated and GA3-coated seeds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Seed Enhancement Technologies)
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13 pages, 1432 KiB  
Article
Breaking Dormancy and Increasing Restoration Success of Native Penstemon Species Using Gibberellic Acid Seed Coatings and U-Shaped Furrows
by Amber J. Johnson, Bradley Geary, April Hulet and Matthew D. Madsen
Plants 2023, 12(23), 4005; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12234005 - 28 Nov 2023
Viewed by 769
Abstract
Many plant species exhibit strong seed dormancy. This attribute benefits the species’ long-term survival but can impede restoration when rapid establishment is required. Soaking seeds in gibberellic acid (GA3) can overcome dormancy and increase germination but this treatment may not be [...] Read more.
Many plant species exhibit strong seed dormancy. This attribute benefits the species’ long-term survival but can impede restoration when rapid establishment is required. Soaking seeds in gibberellic acid (GA3) can overcome dormancy and increase germination but this treatment may not be effective outside the laboratory. An easier and potentially more effective method to apply this hormone is to coat seeds with a GA3-impregnated polymer. Seed dormancy can also be mitigated by creating a favorable microsite with increased soil moisture. We compared the emergence and establishment of penstemon seeds coated with GA3 to those of uncoated seeds planted in shallow drill rows versus deep, U-shaped furrows. Overall, 6 times more Palmer’s penstemon (Penstemon palmeri; p < 0.01) and 21 times more thickleaf penstemon (P. pachyphyllus; p < 0.001) established when coated with GA3, but GA3 coating did not affect the establishment of firecracker penstemon (P. eatonii; p = 1). Establishment was higher from deep furrows than shallow rows (p < 0.001). These results indicate that GA3 seed coating and deep, U-shaped furrows may improve the restoration success of some native forbs by breaking dormancy and providing a favorable microsite. Land managers could use these techniques to restore native forbs in dry, disturbed areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Seed Enhancement Technologies)
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19 pages, 2932 KiB  
Article
Improving Seed Morphology and Germination Potential in Australian Native Grasses Using Seed Enhancement Technologies
by Bianca Berto, Todd E. Erickson and Alison L. Ritchie
Plants 2023, 12(13), 2432; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12132432 - 23 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1181
Abstract
Difficult to handle seed material and poor germination commonly limit the uptake of native grasses in restoration and commercial-scale seeding efforts. Seed enhancement technologies (SETs) offer valuable solutions for improving the handling of seed material and optimising germination. This study considered eight widespread [...] Read more.
Difficult to handle seed material and poor germination commonly limit the uptake of native grasses in restoration and commercial-scale seeding efforts. Seed enhancement technologies (SETs) offer valuable solutions for improving the handling of seed material and optimising germination. This study considered eight widespread Australian native grasses; two representative of Mediterranean to temperate climates (‘cool-climate’ species) and six representative of arid to subtropical climates (‘warm-climate’ species). Through a series of experiments, this study logically selected and applied SET treatments to improve seed handling and germination for each study species. Seed handling was prioritised and addressed using flash flaming and/or acid digestion, while hydropriming was used following seed-handling treatments to enhance germination. Flash flaming and acid digestion were both applied to successfully reduce or remove bulky floret structures while maintaining or improving germination. Flaming at 110 ± 10 °C with continuous exposure for 10 min and acid digestion concentrations of 75–80% with exposure times of 1–2.5 min were generally successful. Sub-optimal concentrations of sulphuric acid often compromised germination. Hydropriming did not improve germination outcomes when applied following flaming or acid digestion. Optimising SETs for germination, emergence and establishment in different environments, and the viability and costs of application on larger seed batches are key considerations for the implementation and upscaling of SETs in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Seed Enhancement Technologies)
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8 pages, 540 KiB  
Brief Report
Evaluating Seed Enhancement Technology’s Effects on Seed Viability during Multi-Year Storage: A Case Study Using Herbicide Protection Pellets
by Owen Baughman, Anna Hosford and Emily Ralston
Plants 2023, 12(20), 3662; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12203662 - 23 Oct 2023
Viewed by 609
Abstract
The viability of seed often decreases during multi-year storage. For seed enhancement technologies (SETs) that apply treatments to native seed prior to sowing in restoration projects, it is important to determine if SETs affect the rate of viability loss in storage to understand [...] Read more.
The viability of seed often decreases during multi-year storage. For seed enhancement technologies (SETs) that apply treatments to native seed prior to sowing in restoration projects, it is important to determine if SETs affect the rate of viability loss in storage to understand if treated seeds can tolerate storage or if they must be sown immediately after treatment. Examining herbicide protection pellet (HPP) seed technology, we conducted germination trials on 10 seedlots of four species to compare three treatments: original bare seed kept in seed storage for 2–3 years, seed retrieved from 2–3-year-old HPPs made from pre-storage original bare seed (old HPPs), and seed retrieved from HPPs that were freshly-made using post-storage original bare seed (new HPPs). For three perennial bunchgrasses, we saw equal or higher germinability of seed from old HPPs compared to the original bare seed and new HPPs, suggesting application of HPP technology to these species prior to multi-year storage is suitable. For the seeds of a perennial shrub, although we saw greater germination of original bare seeds compared to old HPPs, the lowest germination was from new HPPs, still suggesting HPP application prior to storage as a suitable practice. We suggest these tests be performed with all new SETs under development for ecological restoration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Seed Enhancement Technologies)
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