Storage effects of Fraxinus ornus subsp. cilicica seeds on seed viability and germination, an endemic tree in Turkey

Taurus flowering ash (Fraxinus ornus subsp. cilicica) is one of the endemic tree taxa in Turkey. This research on the storability of F.o. subsp. cilicica seeds is significant for both in-situ and ex-situ conservation programs. In this study, the storability of Fraxinus ornus subsp. cilicica seeds as dormant and non-dormant were investigated. Three provenances were used for each experiment. Dormant seeds were stored at 4 and 20 °C temperature with 3, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 15 percent moisture content (MC) for 7 months. The average viability of stored seeds at 4 and 20 °C temperature were 73,1 % and 45,9 %, respectively. The loss of viability of seeds stored with 10 % or higher MC was very high. The seeds stored with 3 % MC conserved its high viability in both 4 and 20 °C storage conditions. The average germination percentage of chilled and stored seeds, redried back to 8 % moisture content and stored for 7 months at 4 °C, decreased from 73,3 to 57,3 %. The moisture content for the dormant Fraxinus ornus subsp. cilicica seeds during the storage and the storage temperature could be suggested as 3-8 % MC and 4 °C, respectively. Keywords: Fraxinus ornus subsp. cilicica, Seed, Dormancy, Chilling