Dormancy release and germination of Taxus yunnanensis seeds during wet sand storage

Dormancy is an innate constraint on germination that occurs across all life forms. In this study, we investigated the seed dormancy release and germination characters of Taxus yunnanensis by exploring the seed morphology, permeability, germination inhibitors, endogenous hormones, and embryo germination in vitro during wet sand storage. Our results showed that seeds and embryos grew to a critical size to germination and permeability increased with the extension of storage. Seed coat and kernel methanol extracts reduced Brassica campestris seed vigor index. The in vitro embryo germination rate increased by 12.20% after storage for 30–360 d, whereas seed germination occurred after 450 d. Gibberellic acid and zeatin riboside contents were relatively stable, whereas abscisic acid (ABA) content decreased; indole acetic acid (IAA) content and the IAA/ABA ratio showed increasing trends. These results indicate that ABA is the key inhibitor of germination in Taxus. The chemical(s) in seed coat and kernel cause the inhibition of seed germination. Taken together, Taxus seeds have morphophysiological dormancy, in which the embryos can continue to grow and hormone imbalance inhibits further development and germination. Further, seed dormancy is active even during the middle of storage and shows “double peaks” during the entire dormancy process.