Effect of Periods and Conditions of Preservation in Gene Banks on Seed Viability of Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del.

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Egyptian Deserts Gene Bank, North Sinai Research Station, Desert Research Center, El-Arish, Egypt

2 Plant production Department, Faculty of Environmental Agriculture Science, Suez Canal University, Egypt

3 Plants Ecology and Range Management Department, Desert Research Center, Matariya, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

The present study was carried out in the Egyptian Deserts Gene Bank (EDGB), North Sinai Research
Station, Desert Research Center, Egypt, during the period of 2005 to 2008. The aim of this study was to
investigate the seed viability of Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del. Under different storage conditions (room
temperature, +4oC and -22oC) and various storage periods (fresh seeds (control), 6 months, 12 months
and 5 years "seeds were stored up to 5 years ago in Egyptian Deserts Gene Bank" ). Different breaking
dormancy treatments were used to encourage, germination of Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del seeds. The
results showed significant effects for conservation conditions, storage periods and dormancy breaking
treatments on seed viability parameters. Germination percentage was the highest when seeds were stored
under +4oC for six months and when treated by dry heat at 60oC for 15 minutes to break dormancy. The
fresh seeds (control, the seeds new collected) gave the highest viability percentage. The seeds, which
stored at -22oC gave the highest value of all germination parameters when were stored for 12 months.
The increase in germination parameters were greatest for seeds treated with 60oC for 15 min. This
significantly denotes the seeds requirement for high temperature to achieve greater viability after storage.

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