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Effect of liquid nitrogen storage on seed germination of 51 tree species

Informally Refereed

Abstract

Two liquid nitrogen storage experiments were performed on 51 tree species. In experiment 1, seeds of 9western tree species were placed in a liquid nitrogen tank for 3 time periods: 24 hours, 4 weeks, and 222 days. A corresponding control sample accompanied each treatment. For three species,Calocedrus decurrens, Pinus jefferyi, and Pinus contorta, the germination percent was not significantly different from the controls in any of the liquid nitrogen treatments. Exposure to 24 hours of liquid nitrogen did not affect the germination percent for any of the 9 species compared to the>ir controls. Two species, Abies x shastensis and Picea engelmannii, exhibited a significant negative response to 4 weeks exposure to liquid nitrogen. Four species Abies amabilis, Abies concolor, Pinus monticola, and Pseudotsuga menziesii, exhibited a significant positive response to the 222-day exposure to liquid nitrogen when compared with Control D.

Experiment 2 examined the germination response to liquid nitrogen storage after a 24 hour exposure for 42 tree species. The germination percent for nine of the 42 species, Acer rubra, Celtis occidentalis, Lonicera tartarica, Malus prunifolia, Physiocarpus opulifiolius, Pinus banksiana, Pinus clausa, Pinus nigra, and Pinus rigida, was significantly affected by 24 hours exposure to liquid nitrogen. Liquid nitrogen exposure had a negative affect on germination for 7 species and a positive effect for 2 species, Pinus nigra, and Pinus rigida. Only 8 species had enough data to calculate the correlation coefficient between moisture content and germination after exposure to liquid nitrogen. Correlations were significant for 4 species. Two species, Abies fraseri and Liriodendron tulipfera had negative correlations; two species, Pinus ponderosa and Pinus taeda had positive correlations.

Citation

Barbour, Jill R.; Parresol, Bernard R. 2003. Effect of liquid nitrogen storage on seed germination of 51 tree species. Seed Technology, Vol. 25(2): 181-188
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/26011