scribed by a normal distribution Understanding the survival characteristics of hybrid corn (Zea y 5 [1/s√2p]exp[2(p 2 p)2/2s2] [1] mays L.) seed during storage is necessary to predict seed deterioration. This investigation tested one key assumption of the Ellis and Roberts where y is the relative frequency of deaths occurring at viability equation, namely, that seed survival is normally distrib...

Ant-aphid interactions may affect host plants in several ways, however, most studies measure only the amount of fruit and seed produced, and do not test seed viability. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the effects of the presence of ant-aphid interactions upon host plant productivity and seed viability in two different contexts: isolated and within an arthropod community. For this...

The plants, grown in the soils around a Fuel Holding Depot of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria have been investigated in this research in terms of their density and species composition so that the impact of contamination by petroleum products on soil seed banks could be determined. The study has used designated plots (25m by 25m) in a site, contaminated by...

Seed corn (Zea mays L.) producers in the Midwest region of the United States are affected by an early fall frost approximately every five years. The negative effects of frost on seed quality vary according to genotype and thus possibly seed composition. Our objective was to determine the effect of seed composition (oil and protein) and seed maturity on seed viability and vigor of artificially f...

PREMISE OF THE STUDY Seed longevity and persistence in soil seed banks may be especially important for population persistence in ecosystems where opportunities for seedling establishment and disturbance are unpredictable. The fire regime, an important driver of population dynamics in sagebrush steppe ecosystems, has been altered by exotic annual grass invasion. Soil seed banks may play an activ...

Manure composting has gained increased acceptance by the beef cattle (Bos taurus) feedlot industry in southern Alberta, Canada. Unlike fresh manure, compost is often promoted as being "weed-free." Studies were conducted with five weed species in 1997 and thirteen in 1999 to examine the effect of feedlot manure composting on weed seed viability. Weed seeds were buried in open-air compost windrow...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Serotiny is common in the genus Banksia, so any seed collection is likely to be comprised of seeds that were produced in many different years. This study aimed to determine the impact of cone age and degree of serotiny on longevity in ex situ storage. METHODS Cones of identifiable age classes were collected from three species of Banksia. Seeds were extracted from cones and...

A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to quantify endogenous acetaldehyde-protein adducts (APAs) produced in plant seeds at low acetaldehyde concentrations without exogenous reducing agents. The key point of this technique is the use of a gelatin-acetaldehyde adduct, which is synthesized under 1 mM acetaldehyde and 10 mM NaCNBH3, to pre-coat plate wells to obtain...