Germination of Nine Species of A Pioneer Plant Community of Pliocene Clay Soils of Central Western Italy Under Different Photo- and Thermo-Periods

Germination response under different photo- and thermo-periods was investigated in nine species of the association Parapholido-Artemisietum cretaceae, a typical plant community of clay badland vegetation in central western Italy. The species showed: (i) more rapid germination under the photo- and thermo-period emulating autumn conditions than under the one emulating early spring conditions; (ii) different germination rates under condition emulating periods with high diurnal insolation followed by high or low nocturnal heat dispersion: Aegilops geniculata, Parapholis strigosa and Artemisia cretacea were indifferent, Hordeum maritimum, Trifolium scabrum, Brachypodium distachyum and Parapholis incurva responded positively to higher thermal dispersion, whereas Medicago minima and Scorpiurus muricatus responded negatively; (iii) different responses to a constant low temperature of 2°C: Artemisia cretacea, Parapholis incurva, Parapholis strigosa and Scorpiurus muricatus showed complete or very high dormancy; the other species showed a germination capacity between 55 and 87% in the following decreasing order: Medicago minima > Hordeum maritimum > Trifolium scabrum > Aegilops geniculata > Brachypodium distachyum. All species had delayed and reduced germination responses at 2°C. Grasses showed prompt, quick and high germination as environmental conditions became more favourable; legumes showed a similar response when their coat-imposed dormancy was removed, while the asteracea A. cretacea showed only a moderate germination capacity and one of the lowest germination rates. Nomenclaure: Pignatti (1982).