This wild tree's seeds shrug off both heat and darkness
Seed Saving
If you're restoring native habitat or saving seed from wild trees, knowing a species tolerates a wide range of temperature and light conditions tells you exactly how forgiving (or fussy) your germination setup needs to be.
Researchers in Brazil tested how temperature, light, and seed size affect germination in Copaifera arenicola, a wild tree related to the copaíba trees known for their resinous oil. They found the seeds germinate best, nearly all of them, when kept at temperatures that swing between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius, and that light barely matters one way or the other. The only thing seed size changed was speed: smaller seeds sprouted quicker than bigger ones, though just as many of them eventually came up.
Key Findings
Alternating temperatures of 20-30°C produced the highest germination rate at 97%, while extreme temperatures reduced performance
Light quality had minimal effect on germination, indicating the species is neutrally photoblastic (indifferent to light conditions)
Seed size did not change final germination percentage but smaller seeds germinated faster than larger ones
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists found that seeds of a Brazilian copaíba relative germinate best (97%) when exposed to alternating warm-to-hot temperatures, don't care much whether they're in light or dark, and that smaller seeds sprout faster than larger ones.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Efeito da temperatura, luz e do tamanho da semente na germinação de Copaifera arenicola (Ducke) J. Costa & L. P. Queiroz
Conhecer a sensibilidade de sementes silvestres à luz e à temperatura durante a germinação é fundamental para definir condições adequadas de uso silvicultural. Este estudo teve como objetivo avalia...
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Species Mentioned
Was this useful?
Want to tell us more? (optional)
Thanks for the note!
Something went wrong — please try again.
Too many submissions. Try again in an hour.
Street trees cut heat deaths by 39 percent in European cities
Trees in your local park or street aren't just pretty — they are literally keeping people alive during heatwaves, and planting even a modest number of the ri...
Copaiba is an oleoresin obtained from the trunk of several pinnate-leaved South American leguminous trees. The thick, transparent exudate varies in color from light gold to dark brown, depending on the ratio of resin to essential oil. Copaiba is used in making varnishes and lacquers.