PJB-2018-262
One acorn produces two seedlings in white oak Quercus variabilis
Yueqin Yang
Abstract
Although the early germination of white oaks has long been considered an adaptation to counter animal predation, the role of the robust radicles of white oak acorns has been largely neglected in the interaction between acorns and seed-eating animals. Here, the regeneration capabilities of the pruned radicles of widely distributed Quercus variabilis left by the acorn-eating animals were compared to test the ¡®one acorn produce two seedlings¡¯ hypothesis stating that the remnant radicles exhibit the capability to produce normal seedlings owning to their atypical nutritional and anatomical characteristics. Our results first showed that both pruned radicle and cotyledons from single acorn successfully established seedlings, providing strong evidence on an old puzzle that the robust radicles of early-germinating white oak acorns act as reserved propagules, allowing white oak acorns to escape animals¡¯ predation.
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