Every seed counts: improving the germination success of Zostera marina seeds
Pieraccini, R; Picatto, L; Koedam, N.; Van der Stocken, T.; Vanreusel, A. (2024). Every seed counts: improving the germination success of Zostera marina seeds, in: Mees, J. et al.Book of abstracts – VLIZ Marine Science Day, 6 March 2024, Oostende. VLIZ Special Publication, 91: pp. 108
In: Mees, J.; Seys, J. (Ed.) (2024). Book of abstracts – VLIZ Marine Science Day, 6 March 2024, Oostende. VLIZ Special Publication, 91. Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ): Oostende. vii + 130 pp. https://dx.doi.org/10.48470/71
In: VLIZ Special Publication. Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee (VLIZ): Oostende. ISSN 1377-0950
Coastal aquatic plants, such as seagrasses, play a pivotal role in maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem function in marine environments by providing essential ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, water purification, erosion protection, and support for biodiversity. Regrettably, seagrass populations, particularly those of Zostera marina, the most widely distributed seagrass species, are facing significant declines globally.Global efforts to restore these critical seagrass ecosystems are increasing in prevalence, with seed-based restoration emerging as a cost-effective method that facilitates the upscaling of Z. marina restoration initiatives. However, the success of seagrass restoration is hindered by remarkably low germination and seedling establishment rates, reported to be less than 5%.To address these low germination challenges, our study investigated the effects of hormone priming, with the use of gibberellic acid (GA3), on the germination of Z. marina seeds. We exposed a total of 1500 seeds to ten concentrations of GA3, and monitored germination success over 60 days. Our results revealed a statistically significant increase in germination success of seeds exposed to GA3 compared to the control group. Interestingly, both low and high GA3 concentrations were found to be more effective in stimulating germination compared to intermediate levels of GA3.Our findings underscore the great potential of GA3 priming to substantially improve germination success, providing valuable insights into potential applications of hormone priming as a strategic tool for enhancing germination success in restoration initiatives.
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