Question about cycad seeds

[Gbarce]

Is it possible to try germinating cycad seeds too early? I read that some varieties need their embryos need to "ripen" for a few months after falling off the cone before they germinate.

Would it be harmfull if you try to germinate (baggie or box method) when their embryos are not yet ready? Would they rot???

[tropicalb]

as far as encephalartos seeds go, rot (if the seeds are kept too wet) or fungal infection is a very real possibility if the seeds are put down very early, before the embryos inside have had a chance to mature.

[fiji jim]

Hi Gene,

Check out this site. It has all the info u will need.

http://www.plantapalm.com/Vce/horticulture/seeds.htm

Jim

[Phil]

Gene,

The answer is yes. Think of a cycad seed as having the same embryo as a human. It takes time to develope. This can be six months or longer.

Zamia seeds can be ready very quickly or may require 3 to 6 months.

Ceratozamias need about 3 to 6 months.

Encephalartos reguire the same, but Central African species can be ready more quickly.

Cycas seeds need at least a few months.

Dioons can take 3 to 4 months.

The bottom line is that very few are ready when harvested.

Learn to cut open the seed and look for the embryo. The article above helps.

Good luck,

Phill

[Gbarce]

THanks Jim -- That hit the spot! I wish there were some external indication of a seeds readiness.

But its also posible that a seed is infertile to begin with right? How common do infertile seeds occur in a batch?

Is the seed in the picture one that was planted too early or an infertile seeds that is just absorbing moisture and swelling? Its a cycas revoluta seed I think.

[tropicalb]

While i am no expert, let me just say that it is absolutely possible that the seed is infertile to begin with. there are two ways to find out whether the seed is fertile:

1. you can cut the seed, and check for an embryo. this of course destroys the seed, but may give you an indication as to the maturity of the embryo or fertility of other seed in the batch, given of course that the seed was not "mixed" with seed from ten or twenty other cones, which unfortunately is usually the case with revoluta, as it is such a common plant.

2. you can CAREFULLY remove the micropyle (the covering of the area where the seed will sprout), and check for a mature embryo. This method does not destroy the seed, but may more easily invite fungal infection and rot. I personally rarely do this (although i will do it to older non-germinated seeds out of a batch that i have put down as a last-ditch effort to get them to germinate). There are many that say they use this method on all their seeds, and get faster and better germination rates. I have yet to be convinced. I have done many tests and have not seen that this method works any better than standard germination techniques.

bottom line to me is this: good seed is good seed, and they are the ones that will easily germinate.

To quote a good friend, "these plants have been around for millions of years, and their seed has germinated on the bare ground in some of the harshest environments on the planet for eons without any help from us. It's not rocket science".

However, patience is truly a virtue when it comes to encephalartos seed; i have had 30% germ on seed that was put down for almost a year, when others had given up and thrown the seed away.

in any event, here is a really good article on revoluta:

http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/content/full/94/5/847?ck=nck

Edited November 13, 2008 by tropicalb