Negative effect of removing pulp from unripe fleshy fruits: seed germination pattern of Celtis sinensis in relation to the temporal context of fruit consumption

Published Date
August 2014, Volume 19, Issue 4, pp 411–416

Short Communication

First Online: 

14 December 2013

DOI: 10.1007/s10310-013-0430-1

Cite this article as: 

Yoshikawa, T. & Isagi, Y. J For Res (2014) 19: 411. doi:10.1007/s10310-013-0430-1

Author

• Tetsuro YoshikawaEmail author
• Yuji Isagi

Abstract

We explored the temporal effects of fruit consumption on the subsequent seed germination pattern of a fleshy-fruited tree, the Chinese hackberry (Celtis sinensis). Via nursery-based sowing experiments, we investigated (1) how pulp removal affected seed germination patterns at the different stages of fruit maturation, and (2) how the timing of seed dispersal (August, October, and December) affected the germination patterns of seeds from ripe fruits after the removal of pulp. We found that the removal of pulp from around the seeds of ripe fruit had no effect on the percentage and timing of germination. In contrast, the removal of pulp from seeds of unripe fruits largely reduced the germination percentage. The time of sowing did not affect the germination percentage, whereas the timing of germination was delayed for seeds that were sown later or under shaded environments.

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