Did greater burial depth increase the seed size of domesticated legumes?

The Large Seed Size of Domesticated Lima Beans Mitigates Intraspecific Competition among Seed Beetle Larvae

The domestication of beans has selected for larger seeds in cultivated plants compared to their wild relatives. This has not only resulted in an enhanced resource for humans, but also for the insects that feed on these seeds. Seed beetles that attack wild and cultivated seeds often lay several eggs on a single seed. We hypothesized that the larger seed size of domesticated beans will mitigate t...

The effect of seed pre-soaking, burial depth and site conditions on the survival and growth of wild almond, Amygdalus scoparia

Wild almond (Amygdalus scoparia) is one of the most important species that provides a variety of ecological functions in the Zagros forest ecosystem. In this study, we investigated the effects of some seed treatments on the survival and growth of Amygdalus scoparia after seed planting at different aspects and elevations under natural conditions. The seed pretreatments consisted in soaking them ...

Global biogeography of seed dormancy is determined by seasonality and seed size: a case study in the legumes.

Seed dormancy is expected to provide ecological advantages by adjusting germination to the favorable growth period. However, many species produce nondormant seeds, particularly in wet tropical forests, a biogeographic pattern that is not well accounted for in current models. We hypothesized that the global distribution of dormant seeds derives from their adaptive value in predictably fluctuatin...

Reproductive Strategies in Mediterranean Legumes: Trade-Offs between Phenology, Seed Size and Vigor within and between Wild and Domesticated Lupinus Species Collected along Aridity Gradients

To investigate wild and domesticated Mediterranean annual reproductive strategies, common garden comparisons of Old World lupins collected along aridity gradients were initiated. These are excellent candidates for ecophysiology, being widely distributed across contrasting environments, having distinct domestication histories, from ancient Lupinus albus to recently domesticated Lupinus angustifo...

Engineering of Seed Quality Characters in Legumes