Germination accelerating method for pendant flower seeds with different flower colors

Abstract

The invention discloses a germination accelerating method for pendant flower seeds with different flower colors. According to the method disclosed by the invention, the fact that different flower colors of pendant flowers have different sensitivities to different germination accelerating modes is revealed and found for the first time, white pendant flower seeds and red pendant flower seeds are subjected to germination accelerating in a clear water seed soaking manner, so that a relatively good germination effect can be obtained, and pink pendant flower seeds are subjected to germination accelerating in a gibberellin aqueous solution seed soaking manner, so that a relatively good germination effect can be obtained; a good germination effect can be obtained by accelerating germination of the red and white pennycress seeds by soaking the seeds after skin damage, and a good germination effect can be obtained by accelerating germination of the red powder pennycress seeds by soaking the seeds in clear water and then depositing and accelerating germination. Technical support is provided for formulating a personalized scheme in the process of artificially breeding the pendant flowers and improving the seed germination rate and the seedling quality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of bellflower cultivation technology, specifically relating to methods for germinating bellflower seeds of different colors. Background Technology

[0002] Bellflower ( Enkianthus quinqueflorus *Enkianthus*, also known as bellflower, white chicken rotten tree, and mountain bell-shaped tree, is a shrub or small tree belonging to the genus *Enkianthus* in the family Ericaceae. It blooms from January to March, flowering before the leaves appear, and is highly valued for its unique ornamental value and ecological significance. As a rare species endemic to southern China, *Enkianthus* is world-renowned for its unique flower shape and vibrant red leaves in autumn, earning it the reputation of a model of "spring flowers and autumn colors." As an ornamental plant, it can be cultivated as a potted plant, used for cut flower production, and planted in scenic spots and urban gardens, showing broad application prospects. The variation in flower color is one of the important biological characteristics of *Enkianthus*. In the Shatoujiao Forest Farm of Guangdong Province, common flower colors of *Enkianthus* include white, pinkish-white, reddish-white, pinkish-red, and red. These different flower colors not only give *Enkianthus* extremely high ornamental value but may also be closely related to its ecological adaptability, reproductive strategies, and genetic diversity. Studies have shown that flower color not only affects pollination efficiency and reproductive success rate of plants, but may also be closely related to seed characteristics, germination ability, and seedling growth potential. Therefore, studying the morphological characteristics and reproductive features of bellflowers with different flower colors is of great significance for revealing their ecological adaptation mechanisms and formulating targeted conservation strategies.

[0003] In recent years, due to the impact of global climate change and human activities, many *Fuchsia* communities have been destroyed, leading to a gradual reduction in population size and a decline in genetic diversity. Secondly, wild *Fuchsia* communities are mostly distributed in hillside thickets at altitudes of 600-2400 m, where habitat conditions are relatively harsh. Coupled with its short seed dormancy period, low germination rate under natural conditions, and uneven emergence, this further limits its natural regeneration capacity and the efficiency of artificial propagation. Currently, domestic and international research on *Fuchsia* mainly focuses on taxonomy, ecology, artificial propagation techniques, and ornamental value. In terms of artificial propagation techniques, *Fuchsia* propagation methods mainly include seed propagation, cutting propagation, layering propagation, and tissue culture. However, these methods have certain limitations in practical application. While seed propagation can maintain genetic diversity, the short seed dormancy period and low germination rate result in uneven emergence, making large-scale seedling production difficult. Although cutting propagation can maintain the superior traits of the parent plant, it suffers from difficulties in rooting and low survival rates. While tissue culture technology can rapidly propagate superior varieties, it is costly and technically challenging, making it difficult to promote in ordinary nurseries. Therefore, it is necessary to explore efficient seed germination techniques and propagation methods for *Fuchsia japonica*. However, research on the reproductive biology and artificial propagation techniques of *Fuchsia japonica* is relatively limited, especially systematic studies on the morphological characteristics, reproductive differences, and seed germination patterns of *Fuchsia japonica* with different flower colors have not been reported. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Based on the shortcomings and deficiencies of existing technologies, this invention aims to provide a more efficient method for germinating bellflower seeds of different colors.

[0005] The first objective of this invention is to provide a method for germinating white bellflower seeds, the germination process of which is as follows: after soaking the white bellflower seeds in water, they are placed in a humid environment to germinate.

[0006] The second objective of this invention is to provide a method for germinating seeds of pinkish-white or red bellflowers, the germination process of which is as follows: the seeds of pinkish-white or red bellflowers are soaked in a gibberellin aqueous solution and then placed in a humid environment for germination.

[0007] The third objective of this invention is to provide a method for germinating seeds of the red and white bellflower, the germination process of which is as follows: after breaking the seed coat, the red and white bellflower seeds are soaked in water and then placed in a humid environment for germination.

[0008] The fourth objective of this invention is to provide a method for germinating seeds of the pink bellflower, the germination process of which is as follows: the pink bellflower seeds are soaked in water, mixed with river sand, and placed in a humid environment at 20°C for germination.

[0009] Preferably, the bellflower seeds are bellflower seeds that have been cleaned of impurities and disinfected.

[0010] Preferably, the soaking is performed for 2 hours at a temperature of 25°C.

[0011] Preferably, the humid environment is a petri dish lined with moistened filter paper.

[0012] Preferably, the disinfection involves soaking in a 0.02% sodium hypochlorite aqueous solution for 10 minutes, followed by rinsing three times with water.

[0013] Preferably, the concentration of the gibberellin aqueous solution is 50 mg / L. The beneficial effects of the present invention are: This invention reveals for the first time that different colored bellflowers respond differently to germination treatments. Soaking white bellflower seeds in water yields the best germination rate, while soaking pink and light-colored bellflower seeds in gibberellin solution is optimal. Soaking red and white bellflower seeds in water after the seed coat is damaged yields the best germination rate, while soaking red and pink bellflower seeds in water followed by sedimentation results in the highest germination rate. These results provide a technical direction for developing personalized protection and propagation programs for bellflowers of different colors to improve their population size and genetic diversity. Furthermore, in artificial propagation, the optimal germination treatment methods for each type of bellflower can optimize seedling cultivation techniques, improving germination rates and seedling quality. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 The effect of different germination treatments on the germination of Fuchsia seeds of different flower colors; different letters indicate that there are significant differences in the germination of Fuchsia seeds of different flower colors under the same germination treatment (p<0.05). Detailed Implementation

[0015] The following embodiments are further illustrations of the present invention, but not limitations thereof.

[0016] Example 1: Seed germination test The germination methods used for bellflower seeds in this embodiment include: soaking for germination, germination by damaging the seed coat, stratification for germination, and hormone-induced germination.

[0017] 1. Preliminary processing To obtain pure, high-quality bellflower seeds, careful seed selection is essential before germination and sowing. This involves removing impurities such as seed wings, scales, pericarps, fruit stalks, fragments of branches and leaves, shriveled seeds, broken seeds, stones, and soil particles. After removing impurities, the seeds are disinfected using a soaking method. Equal amounts of seeds from each flower color are soaked in a 0.02% sodium hypochlorite solution for 10 minutes before cultivation. After disinfection, the seeds are rinsed three times with pure water.

[0018] 2. Germination treatment 2.1 Seed soaking and germination Seed soaking and germination promotion involves immersing seeds in a specific solution to promote water absorption and swelling, break dormancy, and accelerate germination. In this method, seeds of different flower colors were soaked in water at 25°C for 2 hours, then placed in petri dishes lined with moistened filter paper and germinated at approximately 20°C. The germination rates of different flower colors were compared. Each petri dish contained 50 seeds, with three replicates for each flower color. After soaking, water was added daily to maintain moisture.

[0019] 2.2 Damaging the bark to promote germination Gently puncture the seed coat of the fuchsia seeds with a scalpel to break down its physical barrier and improve the seeds' water absorption capacity. Soak the seeds in water at 25°C for 2 hours, then place them in petri dishes lined with moistened filter paper and germinate at around 20°C. Place 50 seeds in each petri dish, and set up 3 replicates for each flower color.

[0020] 2.3 Deposition and Germination First, the fuchsia seeds were pretreated by soaking in water at a constant temperature of 25℃ for 2 hours. After soaking, the seeds were mixed with river sand in a certain ratio (the sand should be enough to completely cover the seeds) and placed in an environment at about 20℃, maintaining appropriate humidity. 50 seeds were placed in each petri dish, and 3 replicates were set up for each flower color.

[0021] 2.4 Hormone-induced germination Two hormones, gibberellin (GA3) and naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), were selected for the experiment. The concentration of gibberellin aqueous solution was 50 mg / L, and the concentration of NAA aqueous solution was 10 mg / L. Seeds were soaked in the above two hormone aqueous solutions (25℃) for 2 h. After soaking, the seeds were inoculated into petri dishes lined with moistened filter paper and kept at 20℃ with suitable humidity until germination was complete. 50 seeds were placed in each petri dish, and 3 replicates were set up for each flower color.

[0022] After 21 days of germination, the number of germinated seeds was counted and the germination potential was calculated. After 28 days of germination, the number of germinated seeds was counted again and the germination rate and germination index were calculated.

[0023] The formulas for calculating each germination index are as follows: )×100%; )×100%; .

[0024] In the formula, G R Seed germination rate (%) G P Seed germination potential (%)G I The germination index is denoted by n, where n is the number of germinated seeds tested within 28 days. N For the number of seeds tested, N 1 represents the number of seeds that germinated on day 21. G t This refers to the number of seeds that germinated within the experimental period (28 days). D t This corresponds to the number of days until germination.

[0025] This embodiment found that, in the water soaking and germination treatment, red bellflower had the highest germination rate, germination potential, and germination index, significantly higher than pinkish-white bellflower (p<0.05). Figure 1 (a), (f), and (k) in the text). In the treatment of seed germination after bark injury (soaking seeds in clean water after bark injury), the red and white bellflower had the highest germination rate, germination potential, and germination index, significantly higher than other flower colors (p<0.05). Figure 1 In (b), (g), and (l) of the above, no seeds of the pinkish-white bellflower germinated. Under the sedimentation germination treatment (seed soaking in water followed by sedimentation germination), the germination rate and germination index of the reddish-white, pinkish-red, and red bellflower seeds were significantly higher than those of the white and pinkish-white bellflowers (p<0.05). Figure 1 (c) and (m)), and no sprouting was observed in the white and pinkish-white bellflowers; among them, the reddish-white and red bellflowers showed better sprouting potential at 21 days. Figure 1 (h) In the treatment with gibberellin (seed soaking and germination with gibberellin aqueous solution), the germination rate, germination potential, and germination index of red bellflower were the highest, significantly higher than those of white, pinkish-white, and reddish-pink bellflowers (p<0.05). Figure 1 (d), (i), and (n)). Under naphthaleneacetic acid treatment (soaking seeds in naphthaleneacetic acid aqueous solution for germination), the germination rate, germination potential, and germination index of red and white bellflower seeds were the highest, significantly higher than those of white and pinkish-white bellflower seeds (p<0.05). Figure 1 (e), (j), (o) in the text.

[0026] Among the five germination treatments, white bellflower seeds germinated best after soaking (germination rate 5.33%). Pinkish-white bellflower seeds germinated best after gibberellin treatment (germination rate 2.00%). Reddish-white bellflower seeds germinated best after bark-damaging treatment (germination rate 22.00%). Pinkish-red bellflower seeds germinated best after deposition treatment (germination rate 10.00%). Red bellflower seeds germinated best after soaking (germination rate 17.33%).

[0027] In the seed soaking and germination treatment, red bellflowers exhibited the highest germination rate, germination potential, and germination index, indicating that their seeds may have strong water absorption capacity and high enzyme activation efficiency. However, the overall germination rate of bellflowers of different colors remained low, suggesting that their seeds may have some degree of dormancy or germination limiting factors. In the seed coat injury germination treatment, red and white bellflower seeds had the highest germination rate, while pink and white bellflower seeds did not germinate at all. This indicates that the seed coat structure of red and white bellflowers may be more sensitive to physical damage, effectively responding to external stimuli and initiating the germination process. In contrast, the seed coat of pink and white bellflowers may be too dense or have other factors inhibiting germination, and even after seed coat injury treatment, its germination ability could not be significantly improved. This suggests that different bellflower colors have developed different adaptive strategies for seed coat characteristics and dormancy mechanisms during evolution. In the sedimentation germination treatment, red and white bellflower seeds showed the highest germination rate. This may be related to their adaptability to soil burial conditions; red and white bellflowers may be more inclined to rely on the natural soil burial process to break dormancy. White and pinkish-white bellflower seeds showed no germination, possibly due to a weaker response to sedimentation germination treatment or because their dormancy mechanism is difficult to break through simple soil burial. In hormone-induced germination treatment, gibberellin and naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) also showed significant differences in their effects on the germination of bellflower seeds of different colors. Under gibberellin treatment, red bellflower seeds showed the highest germination rate, possibly because they are more sensitive to gibberellin and can effectively respond to exogenous hormone stimulation and germinate. This may be related to the regulatory mechanism of the internal metabolic pathways of red bellflower seeds, and their genotype may be more sensitive to the gibberellin signaling pathway. In NAA treatment, red and white bellflower seeds showed the highest germination rate, further validating their superior performance in various germination treatments.

Claims

1. A method for germinating seeds of white or red bellflowers, characterized in that, The germination process is as follows: Soak white or red bellflower seeds in water and then place them in a moist environment to germinate.

2. A method for germinating seeds of the pink and white bellflower, characterized in that, The germination treatment steps are as follows: Soak the pink and white bellflower seeds in a gibberellin solution and then place them in a humid environment to germinate.

3. A method for germinating seeds of red and white bellflowers, characterized in that, The germination process is as follows: After breaking the seed coat, soak the red and white bellflower seeds in water and then place them in a moist environment to germinate.

4. A method for germinating seeds of the pink bellflower, characterized in that, The germination process is as follows: Soak the seeds of the red bellflower in water, mix them with river sand, and place them in a humid environment at 20℃ to germinate.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The bellflower seeds mentioned are bellflower seeds that have been cleaned of impurities and disinfected.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The soaking process involves soaking for 2 hours at a temperature of 25°C.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The germination process described above, which involves placing the food in a humid environment, means germinating it in a petri dish lined with moist filter paper at 20°C.

8. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The disinfection process involves soaking the sample in a 0.02% sodium hypochlorite aqueous solution for 10 minutes, followed by rinsing it three times with water.

9. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The concentration of the gibberellin aqueous solution is 50 mg / L.

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