Change in seed dormancy status controls seasonal timing of seed germination in Korean pine (<i>Pinus koraiensis</i>)

Abstract Seed dormancy ensures seedling establishment in the favorable season a seasonally changing environment. Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc.) seeds have morphophysiological after dispersal autumn. A small fraction of germinates first spring, but most germinate second spring following dispersal. It is not clear how status changes and thus drives germination characteristic. Fresh were buried between litterfall soil Fenglin National Nature Reserves, Heilongjiang Province, northeastern China, middle October 2018 regularly exhumed. Field percentage, embryo growth, seed viability laboratory percentage exhumed determined. The physiological part was gradually released during winter, reinduced summer broken again autumn winter. morphological slowly over rapidly early In completely escaped from dormancy. released, still maintained, leading to very low field. Relief enables high at relatively temperature (alternating day/night above 10/5 °C) spring. provides an example change with