Storage Effects on Dormancy and Germination of Native Tickseed Species

Fresh seeds of prevariety germplasms of goldenmane tickseed (Coreopsis basalis), florida tickseed (Coreopsis floridana), lanceleaf tickseed (Coreopsis lanceolata), and leavenworth's tickseed (Coreopsis leavenworthii) were harvested from cultivated plants and stored under dry conditions for 1 to 24 weeks at 15 or 32 degrees C to alleviate dormancy, that is, to promote after-ripening. The relative humidity (RH) was 33% for all species except lanceleaf tickseed (23% RH). Seeds were subsequently stored for 24 weeks in a commercial storage facility at 23% RH/17 to 19 degrees C to determine whether after-ripened seeds could be stored without loss in quality (viability, germination velocity). The only substantial after-ripening occurred with seeds of lanceleaf tickseed, although most after-ripening of lanceleaf tickseed seeds occurred during the 24 weeks of dry storage in the commercial storage facility regardless of storage conditions for the previous 24 weeks. After the 24 weeks in commercial storage, germination of lanceleaf tickseed seeds was 48% to 80%, but germination was only 2% to 15% after 24 weeks of dry storage at 15 or 32 degrees C, respectively. Freshly harvested seeds of the other three species were much more nondormant than seeds of lanceleaf tickseed, but after-ripening effects were still evident because there were increases in germination or germination velocity (an indicator of after-ripening). Maintenance of seed quality was species-dependent. Seed quality of the two upland species, goldenmane tickseed and lanceleaf tickseed, was maintained during the initial 24 weeks of dry storage plus the subsequent 24 weeks in the commercial storage facility. In contrast, viability of seeds of the two wetland species, florida tickseed and leavenworth's tickseed, declined to varying degrees either during the initial 24 weeks of after-ripening or during storage in the commercial facility. The greatest decline in quality occurred for florida tickseed seeds that were stored for 24 weeks at 32 degrees C and then for 24 weeks in the commercial storage facility.